Private CH/17000 Samuel Thomas Naylor

Killed in Action on Friday, 1st January 1915, age 22.
Commemorated on Panel 13 of Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, United Kingdom.

Royal Marine Light Infantry, H.M.S. "Formidable.".

Son of Samuel and Phoebe Naylor, of 42, Bridge Rd., Toll End, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Unknown, Resident: Tipton.

First served in 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Service Papers exist at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library, St. Mark's, and St. Luke's memorials.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/4004665/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Samuel Thomas Naylor registered December quarter 1892 in Dudley. According to his Royal Naval records, Samuel was born 19th October 1892.

1901 Census
4 Old Hall Buildings, Horseley Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Samuel Naylor (31, Labourer, born Tipton), his wife Phoebe (36, born Tipton), and their 4 children: Mary Ann (10, born West Bromwich), Samuel T. (8, born Tipton), Abraham (6, born Tipton), and Arthur (4, born Tipton).

1911 Census
42 Bridge Road, Toll End, Tipton, Staffs.
Samuel Naylor (48, Iron Planer, born Tipton), his wife Phoebe (48, born Tipton), and their 3 surviving children of 4: Mary Ann (20, born West Bromwich), Samuel Thomas (18, Printer's Labourer, born Tipton), Abraham (6, born Tipton), and Arthur (4, born Tipton).

Personal Data

None Available.

Action resulting in his death

Courtesy www.historyofwar.org
HMS Formidable was lost during a training exercise. In late December 1914 the 5th Battle Squadron, under Admiral Bayly, was based at Sheerness. Bayly felt that the squadron needed gunnery practise, and would need to return to Portland to carry it out. He received permission to swap places with the 6th Battle Squadron.

The 5th Battle Squadron left Sheerness at 10.00am on 30 December 1914. She reached Portland the next day, and spent the day carrying out tactical exercises. Admiral Bayly then decided to spend the night at sea, as no submarines had been sighted. At nightfall the squadron took its only evasive action of the night, a 180 degree turn, and then sailed on, in line ahead at 10knots, with HMS Formidable at the rear of the line.

Unfortunately a German submarine (U-24) had been trailing the squadron all day waiting for a suitable moment to fire. That moment came at 2.30am on 1 January. The Formidable was hit by one torpedo. She developed a 20 degree list and lost all steam. Even though she stayed afloat for over two hours, in the company of two light cruisers, 547 men were lost, amongst them Captain Loxley. Rescue attempts were hampered by the darkness and a rising gale. Finally, at around 4.45am the ship began to tilt over, and then in minutes capsized and sank.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.