arras

see : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arras_Cathedral

From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website: Name:NAYLOR, JOHN WILLIE Initials:J W Nationality:United Kingdom Rank:Private Regiment/Service:Manchester Regiment Unit Text:12th Bn. Age:26 Date of Death:25/04/1917 Service No:41925 Additional information:Husband of Martha Alice Naylor, of 4, Newton St., Fuel Lane, Sowerby Bridge, Yorks. Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:Bay 7. Memorial:ARRAS MEMORIAL

From UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War (Ancestry.co.uk): Full name: John William Naylor Formerly 3/32522, North Staffs Regt.

Best match [so far found]. John William [aka Willie] Naylor Born 1890. Recorded in the 1891 census as 10 months old [the 1891 census was taken at midnight on 5th / 6th April 1891] and living with his parents at 10 Canal Road, Sowerby Bridge, Yorks.. He is the oldest child of, ultimately, five children [3 boys, 2 girls] from his father’s first marriage. His father’s [b. 1869, Manchester] employment is recorded as Gas Works Labourer. His mother, Sarah Grace Naylor nee Walton [b1869 Mytholmroyd, Yorks.] died in the second quarter of 1917, so, round about the same time as her son. By the time the 1901 census was taken his family are still living at the same address but by then his father is employed as a Railway Signalman. His marital home was 4 Newton Street, off Tule Lane, Sowerby Bridge, Yorks. The premises are still extant. Below is a composite of shots from Google Earth and Street View. The upper part of the picture shows the location of his childhood home in Canal Road. The lower portion shows the location of his marital home with a close-up. Click on the picture for a large version, it's a large photo so may take a while to load.

Help piece together the Life Stories of more than 8 million men and women who made a contribution during the First World War at www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/

The CWGC entry records the following; Rank: Lieutenant Date of Death: 09/04/1916 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) "D" Coy. 3rd Bn., attd. 1st Bn. Grave Reference I. A. 22. Cemetery FAUBOURG D'AMIENS CEMETERY, ARRAS Son of Herbert Dobie, M.D., of Northdene, Chester. Born in the second quarter of 1896 Chester. The eldest child of Herbert and Margaret A Dobie, the 1901 census records him living at 1 St John Street Chester, where his father is a Physician, along with his younger sister, Elizabeth, and two domestic servants. The 1911 census records him as a pupil at Marlborough College. Almost 750 former Marlborough pupils lost their lives in the Great War. A report of his death reads; At Arras in the early morning of 9th April 1916, when it was misty, Captain Gross and Lieutenant Dobbie, with CSM Crossley, went out to inspect the wire in front of the fire trench. While they were doing so, the enemy suddenly opened fire. Lieutenant Dobie fell dead into a crater, the others got back except Catain Gross, who was left out wounded.CSM Crossley, Sergeant A Hammond (No.6348.) and Lance Corporal F Liddamore (No.1036.) crept out under fire and succeeded in dragging Captain Gross back to the trench. He however died a few minutes later. In doing this CSM Crossley was killed and Lance Corporal F Lidamore got a bullet through his clothing. Sergeant A Hammond was untouched. His name is recorded, along with other men of the parish, in St Peter’s Church, Chester. A link to a photograph of his name and the church’s memorial window is here; www.carlscam.com/chester/petermem.htm

National Probate Calendar records that probate was granted to Herbert Dobie M.D. Effects £280 5s 8d. 1 St John Street Chester is now occupied by a branch of Pizza Express but it would still have looked out on to the Wesley Methodist Church maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf...

Help piece together the Life Stories of more than 8 million men and women who made a contribution during the First World War at www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/