LAYTON, John Mackay
| Service Numbers: | 1148, 1118 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 September 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Tatura, Victoria, Australia, 16 August 1893 |
| Home Town: | Tatura, Greater Shepparton, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Tatura State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Carpenter |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 10 May 1916, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Rue-David Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix Plot I, Row D, Grave No. 16 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kyneton Honour Roll, Kyneton War Memorial, Tatura R.S.S. & A.I.L.A. Sub-Branch Honour Roll, Tatura St Andrew's Presbyterian Church WW1 Roll of Honor, Tatura War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1148, 5th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 1148, 5th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 1148, 5th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Melbourne | |
| 10 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 1118, 5th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1118 awm_unit: 5 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-05-10 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
In the local newspaper Private Layton was said to be well known in Tatura, having resided there all his life. He was one of the first to volunteer from Tatura, and took part in the Gallipoli campaign, being the first Tatura soldier to be wounded. He was wounded in the arm during the Landing at Gallipoli and evacuated to Egypt. He returned to the firing line. but later contracted a serious illness, and was again sent back to Egypt during August 1915.
Layton was in the Fleurbaix sector of the Western Front when he was killed, the only casualty in the 5th Battalion on this day. This was in the ‘Nursery Sector’ of the line the Australians were sent to when they arrived in France. It was particularly sad time for the Layton family as the youngest boy, Eric, aged 13, had died in a Melbourne hospital only a week before John Mackay Layton’s death.
Another young brother 1224 Pte Richard Goulburn Layton, 59th Battalion AIF, was killed in action in Belgium 15 October 1917, aged 20.
Another brother, 2199 Pte Edward Thomas Layton, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion AIF, was returned to Australia, 10 March 1918 on the authority of the GOC AIF, Sir William Birdwood, on account of his two brothers being killed.
They were the sons of Tom Richard and Annie Layton, of Elsternick, Victoria, who had shifted to there from Tatura, Victoria.