Brownlow Villiers LAYARD [35748]

  General Notes:

Gloucester was transferred to the 7th Cruiser Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria, Egypt, in May 1940. A few days after Italy joined the war on 10 June, Gloucester and her sister ship, Liverpool, bombarded Tobruk, Libya, sinking a small auxiliary minesweeper on the 12th. Several weeks later, the 7th CS was covering several convoys to and from Malta when British Short Sunderland flying boats spotted an Italian convoy on the 28th. The squadron was ordered to intercept and sank the destroyer Espero with a prodigious expenditure of ammunition.

On 7 July, the Mediterranean Fleet sortied to cover more Malta convoys, but they were spotted by the Italians that evening. The next day, a bomb dropped by Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 bombers struck the ship's bridge, killing 18 crew members instantly, including the captain. As a result of the attack, the ship could not be steered from the bridge and was uncontrolled for a time before the aft steering position could take over. Despite an inoperable bridge, the ship remained with the fleet and participated in the Battle of Calabria on the 9th, although she was ordered away from the battleline to escort the aircraft carrier Eagle.
Repairs were completed by the end of August when Gloucester, now assigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron, participated in Operation Hats.
Wikipedia

UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index.
Sub-Lieutenant (S) Brownlow Villiers Layard
Birth Date1918
Birth PlaceRoyal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London, England
Death Date8 Jul 1940
CemeteryPlymouth Naval Memorial
Burial or Cremation PlacePlymouth, Plymouth Unitary Authority, Devon, England