Private 188412 Thomas Henry Naylor

 
Photograph courtesy of Graeme Clarke.

Died of Wounds on Sunday, 19th August 1917, age 28.
Buried in Grave II. H. 24. at Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No 3, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Royal Field Artillery, 28th Brigade, ‘B’ Battery.

Son of George Henry and Annie Naylor, of 79, Sheridan St., Walsall; husband of Helen Naylor, of 68, Queen St., Palfrey, Walsall, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Walsall, Resident: Walsall.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial, but commemorated on the Walsall Roll of Honour, St. John’s Church, Pleck, Walsall, and St. Mary’s and All Saints Church, Palfrey, Walsall, Memorials.
Commemorated here because he was born in Tipton.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/140329/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Thomas Henry Naylor registered March quarter 1889 in Dudley.

1891 Census
23 Bradley Street, Tipton, Staffs.
George Henry Naylor (27, Engine Fitter, born Dudley), his wife Ann (26, born Gornal), and their 2 children: Charles W. (3, born Dudley), and Thomas H. (2, born Tipton).

1901 Census
23 Bradley Street, Tipton, Staffs.
George Henry Naylor (37, Engine Fitter, born Dudley), his wife Ann (37, born Sedgley), and their 6 children: Charles W. (13, Clerk, born Dudley), Thomas Henry (12, born Burnt Tree, Tipton), Florence (9, born Burnt Tree, Tipton), Joseph (6, born Burnt Tree, Tipton), Horace (2, born Burnt Tree, Tipton), and Roland (10 months, born Burnt Tree, Tipton).

1911 Census
79 Sheridan Street, Walsall, Staffs.
George Henry Naylor (47, Engine Fitter, born Dudley), his wife Ann (47, born Sedgley), and their 7 surviving children of 8: Charles W. (23, Railway Carriage Cleaner, born Dudley), Harry (22, Grocer Journeyman, born Tipton), Florence (19, born Tipton), Joseph (16, Moulder, born Tipton), Horace (12, School, born Tipton), Roland (10, School, born Walsall), and Alfred (8, School, born Walsall).

Marriage of Thomas H. Naylor and Helen Holmes registered September quarter 1912 in Walsall. A son, John Maurice, was born on 12th March 1915, the birth was registered in Tamworth.

Personal Data

Thomas (known as Harry) was born in Burnt Tree, Tipton, in 1889, the second child of George and Ann Naylor. Between 1901 and 1903 the family moved to Walsall where he attended Hillary Street School and was a member of Palfrey Church, Walsall.

Thomas married Helen Holmes at Walsall in 1912, and they lived at 68 Queen Street, Palfrey. They had a son, John Maurice, born on 12th March 1915. Thomas was employed as a manager at the Birchills branch of the Walsall and District Co-operative Society.

After Thomas’s death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £2/3/10d (2 pounds, 3 shillings and 10 pence); this was paid to his widow, Helen, in January 1918. His War Gratuity was £3/0/0d (3 pounds exactly), this was also paid to Helen, in November 1919. The value of the War Gratuity confirms that Thomas had enlisted within the previous 12 months (actually November 1916).

Thomas’s widow, Helen, was awarded a Widow’s Pension of £0/18/9d (18 shillings and 9 pence) per week effective from 4th March 1918 for herself and her son John. This was increased to £1/3/6d (1 pound, 3 shillings and 6 pence) per week effective from 18th July 1918. A Grant of £5/0/0d had been paid to Helen on 21st September 1917. Her address at this time was 68 Queen Street, Palfrey, Walsall.

Action resulting in his death

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records Thomas as belonging to ‘B’ Battery of 28th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (28/Bde RFA), and that he died on 19th August 1917. There was never a ‘B’ Battery in 28/Bde RFA; in August 1917 it consisted of 4 Batteries: ‘A’, 123, 124 and 65(Howitzer).

Thomas’s Pension Card and Soldier’s Effects record him belonging to ‘B’ Battery of 295th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. There was a ‘B’ Battery in 295th Brigade, but this Brigade was serving in France, some 60 miles south of where Thomas died.

The ‘Graves Registration Report Form’ in the CWGC Archive first shows “B.12/98 Bde. RFA” (which has no meaning), this is crossed out and replaced with “B.2/90” which is also crossed out and replaced with “B.2/98”. This translates to ‘B’ Battery of 298th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (298/Bde RFA), this is likely to be correct as there was a ‘B’ Battery, and 298th Brigade were in the area where Thomas died. This form also shows his date of death as 18th August which is repeated numerous times in the Walsall newspapers of the time.

This anomaly has been raised with the CWGC (February 2022) for their consideration, but the working assumption here is that Thomas died on 18th August 1917 while serving with ‘B’ Battery of 298th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.


298/Bde RFA were originally attached to the 59th (2nd North Midlands) Division, and served in Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1916. They arrived in France in March 1917 and left 59th Division to become an’ Army Artillery Brigade’ attached at an Army level. This meant that they could be allocated to tasks as required anywhere within that Army.

Thomas enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery in Walsall on 6th November 1916. After training, he was drafted to France in June 1917 as a signaller, but with the basic Royal Artillery rank of ‘Gunner’. If we assume that he immediately joined 298th Brigade Royal Field Artillery (298/Bde RFA), then he would have joined them at Railway Dugouts, just south of Ypres.

In early July 1917, 298/Bde RFA transferred from 2nd Army to 5th Army in preparation for the 3rd Battle of Ypres, and moved to a location near Dikkebus, 4½ miles south-west of Ypres. 298 Brigade moved to battle positions on 22nd/23rd July, with ‘B’ Battery located ½ mile north-west of Hill 60 (Map 28, reference I.28.d.40.50).

Thomas was wounded in action and died from his wounds on 18th August, and is buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No. 3. A number of Casualty Clearing Stations (CCS) had been created at Brandhoek in preparation for the 3rd Battle of Ypres which commenced on 31st July 1917. These were closer to the front-line than previous CCSs to provide faster surgical treatment and improve survival rates. Brandhoek specialised in abdominal and chest wounds.

It is reasonable to assume that Thomas died at one of the CCSs at Brandhoek; we do not know when he was wounded but it would be no more than a few days before his death. Sadly, 298/Bde RFA War Diary is lacking in detail from the 15th to 24th August despite them being in constant action. As Artillery men are rarely in the front line, it is a strong possibility that Thomas was hit by German artillery fire.

Newspaper Cuttings

The Walsall Observer and South Staffs Chronicle Saturday 1st September 1917
ROLL OF HONOUR.
N.C.O.s and MEN.
KILLED OR DIED OF WOUNDS.
Signaller Thomas Henry Naylor.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. G.H. Naylor, Sheridan Street, is officially reported to have been killed on August 18, while in action as a signaller with the R.F.A. in France (Editor: actually in Belgium). He has seen only 2 months active service, having joined the Colours in November last. He was previously employed as manager at the Birchills Branch, Co-operative Society. Twenty-eight years of age, he was a married man, and his wife and child reside at 68 Queen Street, Palfrey. As a boy he attended the Hillary Street Schools and was a member of Palfrey Church.

Also

Births, Marraiges and Deaths.
ROLL OF HONOUR.
NAYLOR.
In loving memory of my dear husband, Harry Naylor, who was killed in action on August 18th, 1917. “Thy will be done”.
Ever remembered by his Wife and Child.
Mrs. Naylor thanks all friends for kind expressions of sympathy in her great sorrow.

NAYLOR.
In loving memory of our dear son, Harry, who was killed in action on August 18th, 1917.
“Sleep on dear son, God thought it best
To take thee to thy heavenly rest.”
Deeply mourned by his Father and Mother.

NAYLOR.
In loving memory of our dear son-in-law, Signaller T.H. Naylor, who was killed in action in France on August 18th.
“Too far away thy grave to see
But not too far to think of thee.”
Mr. and Mrs. Holmes, Jim and Harry.

NAYLOR.
In affectionate remembrance of our dear brother, Harry, who gave his life for his country on August 18th, 1917.
“Into thy hands, O Lord, we commend his spirit.”
Sadly missed by Annie and Charlie.

NAYLOR.
In loving memory of our dear brother, Harry, who gave his life on the field of battle on August 18th, 1917.
“Peace, Perfect Peace.”
Ever remembered by his brothers Horace, Roland and Alf.

NAYLOR.
In loving memory of our dear brother, Harry, who was killed in action on August 18th 1917. “Rest in Peace.”
“Too far away thy grave to see
But not too far to think of thee.”
Ever remembered by Joe and Ethel.

NAYLOR.
In never-fading memory of our dear brother, Harry, who was killed in action on August 18th 1917.
“God will bind the broken chain
Closer when we meet again.”
Not forgotten by Flo and Will.

NAYLOR.
In loving memory of our dear brother-in-law, Signaller T.H. Naylor, who was killed in action on August 18th 1917.
Deeply mourned by Annie and Bert and niece, Marjorie.

The Walsall Observer and South Staffs Chronicle Saturday 8th September 1917
ROLL OF HONOUR.
NAYLOR.
In affectionate remembrance of Signaller T.H. Naylor (Harry), late manager of No.4 Branch, Co-operative Society, Birchills, who was killed in action on August 18th 1917, aged 28 years.
“His country called, He played his part, We’ll not forget.”
From his Workmates at Birchills Branch and Warehouse.

Also

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
Mr. and Mrs. Naylor and Family, Sheridan Street, return grateful thanks for kind expressions of sympathy in their great loss.