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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 404

The superb and tragic Great War M.M. and Bar awarded to Private C. Layt, 11th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, whose bravery and selflessness twice saved comrades from heavy enemy fire, once walking into enemy fire to save an N.C.O. suffering from shock who had wandered into No-Man's-Land, later killed during an abortive night patrol on the Italian front at Granezza

Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (13427 Pte C. Layt. 11/W. York: R.); 1914 Star (13427 Pte C. Layt. W. York: R.); British War and Victory Medals (13427 Pte. C. Layt. W. York. R.); Italy, Kingdom, Bronze Medal for Valour, unnamed as issued,

M.M. London Gazette 14 September 1916, the original recommendation states:

'For extreme gallantry near Fme. Grande Flamengrie on October 2nd., 1915, when he crossed our own parapet in broad daylight at about 11 a.m. and led back to our trenches No. 100006, Sergt. B. Briggs, 11th Bn. West Yorkshire Regt., who, suffering from delusion, had wandered out between the lines. They were fired at by the enemy whilst returning.

Second Award Bar to M.M. London Gazette 17 December 1917, the original recommendation states:

'This man attacked with the greatest dash and gallantry. When a machine gun was holding up part of the advance he bombed it and prevented any check in the assault.
After he was of the greatest use in the work of consolidation.'

Bronze Medal for Valour, London Gazette 26 May 1917, the original recommendation states:

'At Ploegstreert on August 27th., 1916, 13427, Private Layt wnet [sic] out on a patrol with an officer and 4 men. The party encountered a hostile patrol and after a short fight they were forced to retire, the Officer being wounded. Private Layt covered the retreat of the party. His gallant conduct enabled the party to return without further casualties.'

Clifford Layt was born at Leeds, Yorkshire in 1893, the son of William and Mary Layt of 7 Ashley Street, Hunslet, Leeds. He joined the war on 26 August 1915 with the West Yorkshire Regiment and fought with them for the duration of the war. Earning his gallantry medals for repeated acts of immediate bravery, the extent of his commander's respect for him is clear in the letters written after his disappearance on 24 June 1918 when a British night patrol was ambushed by Austro-Hungarian troops, which state:

'I have known him ever since I joined this company and can fully realize what a devoted son he has been to you. His bravery and courage were an example to all, and he had done so very well in the past, earning well merited distinctions that his absence will be severely felt by all who know him.'

Tragically, despite hopes that he might prove to be a Prisoner of War, any chances of his survival were dashed when soldiers of another regiment found his body. They buried him where he fell in the 'mountains near Asiago'; he was reburied in Barenthal Military Cemetery after the war. His commander Captain R. E. Holiday wrote of him:

'Clifford had always been a brave and gallant soldier and his loss is felt by all his comrades and officers who knew him.
I deeply sympathize with you in your great bereavement and can understand your feelings - having lost a brother myself, last year.'

Sold together with original documentation including a letter to the recipient's family, recommendations for awards and the signed condolence slip as well as photographs along with copied research including census data, London Gazette entries and award lists with newspaper and war diary extracts, with further documents including an M.I.C. and Commonwealth War Graves letter.

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Sold for
£4,200

Starting price
£450