18 April 1916: Pte Sam Naylor

Sam Naylor was born in Lancaster in 1877

Location of Lancaster in the north west of England (cc OpenStreetMap)

Sam was born in Lancaster in 1877, the son of an agricultural labourer, Sam lived for much of his life in Gargrave, Yorkshire where he worked in a mil or iron foundry. 

Google Street View (2019) of the end of Cedar Street, Accrington (c) Google 2019

He was employed in the New Brighton Saw Mills before moving to Accrington, Lancashire where he worked as a moulder at Newbank Works. At the 1911 Census that family lived at 10 Cedar Street, Accrington (since demolished though No.16 is still there). At this stage there were 9 people living in the 4 rooms of this 'two up, two down' cottage, the parents and children ages 13,12,10, 8,6,4,3

Having seen previous service, Sam was a reservist at the outbreak of war and, after being mobilised, he saw service in France for a short time before being invalided back home with frostbite and discharged.

Lancashire Fusiliers of the 125th Brigade, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division, bound for Cape Helles, Gallipoli, May 1915. The soldiers have just disembarked aboard Trawler 318 from the transport SS Nile, from the deck of which the photo was taken.

After immediately re-enlisting, Sam was sent to Gallipoli in October 1915 and, from there his unit moved on to Mesopotamia in order to take part in the relief of Kut al Amara.

Turkish troops proceeding down the River Tigris on rafts from Diabekir to join the besieging army at Kut-el-Amara. © IWM HU 52443

Sam Nayolr was killed in action during the attack on the Beit Aisa line on 18 April 1916 and he is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.

Sam Naylor was married to Christina and the father of nine children. His brother George served and died, and did Sam and Christiana's two oldest sons 18081 S/Cpl Albert (born May 1897) 11th/7th E. Lancs Reg: and died 37103 Pte Sam (born 1898) E.Lancs Reg: served and died also.

Pte Sam Nayor  

18 April 1916 killed in action

Initial research by David O'Mara with additional research by Jonathan Vernon. 

Sources: Ryan Family Tree, Ancestry : English Census; English Census returns 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911.  The Western Front Association Pension and Ledger Cards on Fold3 from Ancestry.