WW1 BWM & VM Pair 15522 Pte R Naylor twice wounded with the 17th & 10th Battalions Lancashire Fusiliers

WW1 BWM & VM Pair 15522 Pte R Naylor twice wounded with the 17th & 10th Battalions Lancashire Fusiliers. 

Robert Naylor was born circa 1888 and was a resident of Preston. Like 15526 Albert Fairclough, he would have enlisted around 6 January 1915 (as confirmed by his Silver War Badge roll entry). He probably went overseas around January 1916. If so, this would seemingly fit with him being an original 'Bantam' (a man of good physical build, but below the normal regulation height of 5' 3") of the 17th (Service) Battalion (1st South-East Lancashire), Lancashire Fusiliers, which went overseas as a unit in January 1916.

After a period of familiarisation with western Front conditions, the 17th, as part of 104th Brigade, 35th Division, then proceeded to fight on the Somme, arriving at Aveluy Wood on 10 July 1916. Pte Naylor was reported on the War Office daily casualty list for 23 August 1916, suggesting he was wounded whilst in the line with the 17th Lancashire Fusiliers in mid- to late-July 1916; very possibly when they were acting as carrying parties for the 89th Brigade's attack on Guillemont, 29 and 30 July 1916. During this action the parties were attached to various battalions of the attacking force and moved up with the 4th wave, suffering 40 other rank casualties in the process, of which 31 were wounded. Other alternatives would be that he was one of 12 men wounded by an accidental bomb (grenade) explosion in 'Happy Valley' on 14 July, one of 5 men wounded at Maricourt on 19 July, or one of a total of 153 men wounded whilst the battalion occupied the front line between Trones Wood and Maltz Horn Farm from 21 to 23 July and then Talus Boise the following day.

Presumably having been evacuated and then posted to a new battalion on his return to theatre, by July 1918 Pte Naylor was serving with the 10th Battalion another 'New Army' unit. Depending upon when he joined it, he may have taken part in The First and Second Battles of the Scarpe, and The Capture of Roeux (parts of the Battle of Arras, and The First and Second Battles of Passchendaele phases of Third Ypres, as well as, during 1918,

The Battles of St Quentin and Bapaume, both phases of the German Spring Offensive. By July the battalion was in the Somme sector, and Pte Naylor was then wounded in action again with the 10th Lancashire Fusiliers, 17th Division, circa 14 July 1918. At this time the battalion was in the front-line trenches east of Bouzincourt. He was admitted to the care of 51st Field Ambulance on 13/14 July with a shrapnel wound to the right thigh for which he was given Morphine and then despatched to one of No 3, No. 27, No. 56 Casualty Clearing Stations. By this time he was reported to have accumulated 3 Years 6 Months' service of which 31 Months was with the Field Force. He featured on War Office Daily List No.5642 of 13 August 1918.

He was entitled to the Silver War Badge, number B/165832, and was discharged on 28 February 1919.