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Major-General Sir Robert Edward Laycock

KCMG (1954), CB (1945), DSO (1943), JP, Hon. LLD (Malta)                                                                                      
 
 
 
 
 
 

Born  18.04.1907  (London)
Died  10.03.1968  (Wiseton, near Doncaster)

Education: Eton; Royal Military College, Sandhurst; Staff College, Camberley
 
29.01.1927                     commissioned, Royal Horse Guards
26.06.1933-25.06.1936 Adjutant
21.11.1938-05.09.1939 General Staff Officer 3rd grade (GSO3), Director of Training and Organization (Coast Defence & Anti-Aircraft), War Office (UK)
00.00.1939-00.00.1940 Staff College, Camberley
11.07.1940-10.10.1940 Commanding Officer, No. 8 Commando (A/Lt.Col.)
11.10.1940- Commanding Officer, 4 Special Service Battalion (UK) (from 11.10.1940-14.7.1941 & 15-24.10.1941 T/Lt.Col.)
00.01.1941-01.08.1941 Commander, Special Service Brigade "Force Z", from 7.3.1941 "Layforce" (Suez, Crete) (from 20.3-14.7.1941 A/Col.)
00.08.1941-00.08.1942 Commander, Middle East Commando
01.03.1942-00.00.1943 Commander, Special Service Brigade (organizing and training all commandos in Britain) (from 1.3-5.5.1942 A/Col., from 6.5.1942-21.10.1944 T/Col., from 1.3-31.8.1942 A/Brig., from 1.9.1942-21.10.1944 T/Brig.)
22.10.1943-00.00.1947 Chief of Combined Operations (from 22.10.1943-21.10.1944 A/Maj.Gen., from 22.10.1944 T/Maj.Gen.)
17.08.1947 retired (H/Maj.Gen.)

 
00.00.1953-00.00.1954 Chairman, Windsor Group Hospital Management Committee
00.00.1954-00.00.1955 High Sheriff, Nottinghamshire
00.00.1960- Lord Lieutenant, Nottinghamshire
03.08.1954-13.02.1959 Governor and Commander­in­Chief, Malta
04.11.1960-10.03.1968 Colonel Commandant, Special Air Service Regiment
00.00.1960-10.03.1968 Colonel Commandant, Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
? Honorary Colonel, Royal Armoured Corps (TA)

 
29.01.1927 2nd Lieutenant
29.01.1930 Lieutenant
02.06.1934 Captain
11.10.1940 War Substantive/Major
29.01.1944 Major
06.05.1942 War Substantive/Lieutenant-Colonel
22.10.1944 War Substantive/Colonel
01.01.1946 (sen. 22.10.1944) Colonel

 
Decorations:   KCMG (1954); CB (1945); DSO (23.9.1943); KStJ; Commander Legion of Merit (USA); Comdr Légion d'Honneur (France); Grand Officer Order of Orange Nassau with Swords (Netherlands); Comdr, with Star, Order of St Olav (Norway)