An extremely rare and interesting Great War M.C. group of twelve awarded to Major T. S. Laycock, Secret Intelligence Service, late Royal Artillery, who served as right hand man to the founder of the British S.I.S., Captain Sir Mansfield ‘C’ Cumming from 1912-15, prior to undertaking secret missions to Russia and Roumania

Military Cross, G.V.R., privately inscribed, ‘Captain T. S. Laycock, 1918’; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Transvaal (2476 Sgt. T. Laycock, R.F.A.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (2476 Serjt. T. Laycock, R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (Captain T.S. Laycock), renamed; British War and Victory Medals (Capt. T. S. Laycock); Coronation 1911, privately inscribed, ‘2476 Q.M.S. T. S. Laycock, R.G.A.’; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (2476 Q.M. Sjt. T. Laycock, R.G.A.); Roumania, Order of the Crown, Officer’s breast badge, with swords, silver-gilt and enamel; Roumania, Order of the Star, Chevalier’s breast badge, with swords, silver and enamel; Russia, Order of St. Vladimir, Fourth Class breast badge, with swords, 35 x 35mm., gold and enamel, by Eduard, St. Petersburg, manufacturer’s name on reverse, kokoshnik marks on sword hilts and ‘56’ gold mark on eyelet; War Cross of Roumania, mounted as worn, minor enamel damage in places, including obverse centre of the St. Vladimir badge, otherwise generally good very fine (12) £4000-5000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

View
Collection

M.C. London Gazette 4 September 1918:

‘For distinguished service rendered in connection with military operations in Russia and Roumania.’

Thomas Spencer Laycock was born in Leeds in December 1875 and enlisted in the Royal Artillery in February 1894. A Sergeant by the time of the outbreak of hostilities in South Africa, he was present at the defence of Ladysmith and in operations in Cape Colony, Orange River Colony and Transvaal, and was severely wounded in the left hip at Onwerwacht on 4 January 1902 (Queen’s Medal & 4 clasps; King’s Medal & 2 clasps). Having then added the Coronation Medal to his accolades as a Quarter-Master Sergeant in 1911, he was discharged at his own request in November 1912, in order to take up a post in Department M.I. 1C under Captain Sir Mansfield Cumming, the founder of the British Secret Intelligence Service.

Laycock was similarly employed on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, Cumming getting him a commission on the General List in the following month and increasingly relying on him as a right-hand-man - thus Laycock was left in charge of the department when Cumming went abroad in October, and conducted interviews on his behalf of in November. In fact, up until his departure for Russia and Roumania in November 1915, Laycock was more or less running C’s office; according to his MIC entry, Laycock entered the French theatre of war on 26 October 1914 on the staff of G.H.Q., but he was never issued with the 1914 Star, a further annotation stating, ‘No trace on 1914 Star Staff roll’.

Of subsequent events overseas, one can only speculate, though fortuitously his services in Roumania are the subject of occasional mention in Queen Marie’s autobiography:

Thus a meeting at Jassy at the end of 1917:

‘After lunch I received a certain Captain Laycock of the English Intelligence Service. He came to tell me that if I wanted to send the younger members of my family away he was at my disposal to help me, and had an English officer who knew several languages, who could accompany them. He was a simple, cold-blooded, unemotional little man, who ended by telling me that I and my eldest daughters ought to fly to Salonica in aeroplanes, a journey which in no ways tempts me in this cold, and into the bargain without a scrap of luggage. An adventurous exit no doubt, but one for which I have no taste. Curiously enough I was never one of those who had much wish to fly, in any sense of the word. Laycock finished by declaring in a very business-like sort of way that he was a royalist and therefore entirely at my disposal, and that he had risen from the ranks and was very much impressed by being in the presence of a queen.’

And a further meeting in January 1918:

‘When we came home from a theatrical performance, Laycock of the English Secret Service asked to see me. He brought me bad news, amongst other things the news that there were Russians coming to Jassy to try and murder the King and his two sons. He gave me letters to read, which he had received from his agents in Russia - ugly news. In the south of Russia, however, the state of affairs is not yet so desperate; the Entente could still do something if only they were clever enough, but they are too undecided, too hesitating, whilst Lenin knows how to speak to the masses which are looking for a leader.

I sent for Prince Stirbey, and, with Laycock, we examined the situation, a serious, anxious, tragic conversation. This was another of those days when I felt nearly at the end of my tether, but I grind my teeth and will not break down.’

We also learn from Alan Judd’s The Quest for C - in which Laycock receives frequent mention - that ‘Laycock donned uniform on Roumania’s entry into the war and declared himself a military mission, attached to the military attache. He now ran his office openly from his flat and gathered assistants including a Daily Chronicle correspondent.’


In addition to his M.C., he was also awarded the Roumanian Orders of the Crown and Star (London Gazette 24 October 1919 refers), and the War Cross, together with the 4th Class Russian St. Vladimir and the 2nd Class Order of St. Anne, 2nd Class, both with with swords (London Gazette 24 January 1919 refers).

Returning home in March 1918, Laycock went out to France as a Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal in June, and remained similarly employed until the War’s end, and he was demobilised in the rank of Major in November 1919. Thereafter, up until his death in March 1927, he fought an unsuccessful campaign to get his pension raised as a result of his time in the Secret Service. One of the final letters entered on his file was from Dr. M. N. Ferguson of Eltham, London:

‘I knew the late Major T. S. Laycock for the last 16 years both before the war of 1914 and afterwards. The change in his disposition and character in the latter period was most marked. He had become nervous, irritable and very “moody”, whereas previous to 1914 he was perfectly calm and even-tempered. I am of opinion that this change which culminated in his final act, must be attributed to his experiences in the War of 1914-1918.’

Laycock’s widow was awarded £200 by the British Legion.