Editing Layforce (section)

==Background==
In February 1941, a force of [[British Commandos|commandos]] under Colonel [[Robert Laycock]] were sent to the Middle East to carry out raids in the eastern [[Mediterranean]].<ref name=Chappell15>Chappell 1996, p. 15.</ref> This force became known as 'Layforce' after their commander and initially they were drawn from 'A' Troop from [[No. 3 Commando]], [[No. 7 Commando]], [[No. 8 (Guards) Commando]] and [[No. 11 (Scottish) Commando]], with additional personnel being drawn from [[No. 50 Commando]] and [[No. 52 Commando]] upon their arrival in Egypt in March.<ref name=Chappell15/><ref name=Saunders52>Saunders 1959, p. 52.</ref>

Laycock held the rank of a colonel (rather than [[brigadier]]) on the staff, because his command was not formally and organisationally a full brigade, with all its supporting elements; although, with a strength of over 2,000 men, it was equivalent.<ref name=Chappell15/><ref name=Moreman20>Moreman 2006, p. 20.</ref><ref group="Note">On disembarkation the reported All Rank strength of the Battalions was as follows: 'A' Battalion (Colvin): 36 officers and 541 other ranks; 'B' Battalion (Daly): 38 officers and 502 other ranks, 'C' Battalion (Pedder): 35 officers and 498 other ranks; and 'D' Battalion (Young): 36 officers and 532 other ranks. The Folbot Section (Courtney) had 12 folbots, one officer and 18 other ranks.</ref> For reasons of security, the commandos were organised into four battalions and were renamed: No. 7 Commando became 'A' Battalion, No. 8 (Guards) became 'B' Battalion, No. 11 (Scottish) became 'C' Battalion, and No. 50 and No. 52 were amalgamated to form 'D' Battalion. Together they were to operate as a [[brigade]] of the [[6th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|British 6th Division]], part of [[Middle East Command]].<ref name=Saunders52/><ref>Chappell 1996, pp. 15–16.</ref> Each battalion was placed under the command of a [[lieutenant colonel]] and consisted of: a headquarters; a signals [[Section (military unit)|section]]; a specialist equipment section equipped with a form of [[Folding kayak|collapsible canoe]] known as a 'folbot'; and two commando [[Company (military unit)|companies]] with five [[troop]]s, each troop consisting of 50 men.<ref>Chappell 1996, p. 7.</ref><ref>Moreman 2006, p. 19.</ref>