Thomas was educated at Bradfield College and Guy's Hospital Medical School in 1900, where he graduated in 1906 with honours. He took the M.S. with gold medal in 1907 and became F.R.C.S. two years later. Meanwhile, after holding the usual house appointments he was made surgical registrar at Guy's in 1908, at this time he also decided to specialize in otolaryngology. In 1909 he married Miss Edney Eleanor Sampson, a nurse at Guy's, and they had one son and one daughter. In 1912 he travelled for study in Vienna and Berlin. Thomas joined the Officers' Training Corps of London University, and was mobilized on the outbreak of war serving with the Territorial Force. He entered the war in France on 22nd June 1916 and served as Commanding Officer to the 2/4th London Field Ambulance. He relinquished his command at the end of the war, the field ambulance being disbanded on the Judean Hills after Allenby's entry into Jerusalem. Returning to Guy's soon afterwards as throat and ear surgeon, Thomas was also appointed consultant otologist to the London County Council, a post which he held until 1944. In addition he served on the London Panel Committee and on the London Insurance Committee, of which he was the first medical chairman. During the second world war he became Director of Medical Services [DMS] in Sicily and after that was for a time medical superintendent of the hospital set up under U.N.R.R.A. at Belsen concentration camp. He retired from Guy's in 1947 on reaching the age of 65. In recognition of the leading position that Thomas held in his specialty he was made Hunterian professor of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1919, was awarded the John Hunter bronze medal and triennial prize for 1928-31, and delivered the Erasmus Wilson lecture in 1935. He had also been elected president of the laryngological section of the Royal Society of Medicine in 1939-41 and master of the Society of Apothecaries in1940-1. His short book, An Industry of Health (1944), expressed his thoughts in characteristically pungent style on how best to provide a comprehensive health service for the nation. After his death a colleague wrote: "T. B. Layton was a "character," almost from his own beloved Dickens, who would have been more at home in the Regency or during the eighteenth century. He had radical ideas on most subjects, and on otolaryngology he was full of unorthodox opinions which he was wont to express in a loud, clear voice at discussions. Where another surgeon would " irrigate " a cavity he would "hose" it. He preached against operations on tonsils and adenoids, advocating breathing exercises instead. And at a time when other otologists opened the mastoid widely in children he used Wilde's incision. Whether he was the most suitable teacher of the elements of otolaryngology to medical students might be argued, but he was certainly a stimulating one." The W. M. M. also wrote: "By the death of T. B. Layton Guy's has lost a prominent member of its consultant staff. After a brilliant academic career he was elected to the E.N.T. department in 1912, when the aural and laryngological departments were merged. By his unique experience gained in the L.C.C. fever service he had unrivalled knowledge of acute ear disease at a time when scarlet fever and measles were rampant. Through his experience his opinions were invaluable on acute ear and throat disease. As a keen Territorial he was commissioned in 1914 and eventually was as a lieutenant-colonel in charge of the field ambulance which was the first unit to enter Jerusalem. As a teacher he was stimulating and his views on treatment were never stereotyped. Layton was a litterateur and widely read. He wrote a life of Sir Arbuthnot Lane, whose house-surgeon he had been a considerable task. Guy's has lost a prominent son. Our sympathy goes out to his widow and family." Thomas was the son of T Layton, a Solicitor. [Information sources: Obituary in BMJ 25/1/1964; The Distinguished Service Order 1886 - 1923; London Gazette and MIC]