Sergeant Robert Layfield (Served as Richards)
13757 10th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Killed in Action 25th September 1915, aged 30
Lived at 132 Leyland Road
Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Belgium
Commemorated on Burnley Lads Club Memorial
Burnley Express 11th December 1915

The Burnley Express of December 11th 1915 reported that his death had been confirmed.
“Two or three weeks ago Mr and Mrs Layfield received a notice from the War Office that their son Sergt. Robert Layfield, of the 10th Scottish Rifles, was missing after the battle of Loos on September 25th. Nothing further was heard until Thursday afternoon, and then the fateful news came that he was killed in that action. Sergeant Layfield who enlisted in the name of Robert Richards was an old soldier having served for eight years, four of them in India, in the 4th King’s Own Royal Lancashire Regiment. He was invalided out. He was working as a weaver at Spring Gardens’ Shed when the war broke out and the military life again appealing to him, he joined the Scottish Rifles. He had been at the front for a few months before participating in the action in which he lost his life. He was a single man aged 30. Harold Layfield, a brother of the sergeant, who was in Ireland when the war broke out came over to England and enlisted in the 2nd East Lancashire Regiment. He has been in the trenches since March last.”

Notes.
A large number of Burnley men enlisted in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) – the largest number in the 10th Battalion (this Battalion. has been called the “Burnley Rifles”!). The evidence for this is borne out by the 113 men from Burnley who were killed during the war in the regiment (98 enlisted in Burnley and 15 born or resident in Burnley who enlisted in other towns). On the 25th September 1915 at the battle of Loos a total of 38 men with Burnley connections were killed from the 10th Battalion and 9th Battalion. The total number killed on Sept. 25th were:- 10th Bn. 237 men and 15 officers. 9th Bn. 147 men and 4 officers
Altogether 950 men from the 10th Battalion of the Cameronians were killed in the war.

Robert Layfield was admitted to St Peter’s Infant School on 29/4/1889 and 19/5/90 (NB admitted twice!). Born on 20/5/85. Father was Robert Layfield of 4 Forest Street
The 10th Scottish Rifles was known as the Burnley Rifles locally.
Address also given as 65 Albert Street