[3] Layton spent two years travelling between Frankfurt and Paris before becoming a stockbroker and member of the London Stock Exchange and later became partner in the family business R.Layton and Co.
Eventually, the Australian government accepted provided each individual was interviewed and personally recommended by Layton himself, a process which took nine months to complete.
Layton dealt directly with Adolf Eichmann in Vienna to secure the release of thousands of Jewish refugees and on the afternoon of the Kristallnacht Layton received a call from Eichmann himself warning him to avoid the Jewish sector of Vienna as his death would have caused enormous diplomatic tension.
After the war, Layton successfully continued in his partnership at the family firm whilst living in Hampstead meanwhile, he worked for the Home Office.
In 1941 he was sent by the British government to Australia to diplomatically resolve the HMT Dunera scandal[6] and successfully won compensation for the maltreatment of refugees aboard the ship.