Charles Granville Naylor

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Charles Naylor as a Lt. Cdr.
Photo courtesy and copyright of descendant Francis Coleman.

Commander Charles Granville Naylor, M.V.O., R.N. (26 April, 1888 – 27 January, 1924) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He was known as "Kit" to his friends.

Life & Career

Born in Lindfield, Sussex.

Naylor lost three months' seniority for "ragging" in October, 1906.

On 21 August, 1907 he entered Chatham Hospital with enteric fever. He was found fit on 3 December.

Naylor was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 November, 1908.

Naylor was appointed Lieutenant & Commander of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 33 on 6 September, 1912.[1]

Immediately before the war, Naylor commanded the Pembroke Dock Defence Flotilla, possibly from the time he took command of T.B. 033. His time in command was not entirely a success, as he was warned by a Court of Inquiry in May 1914 after a collision between his T.B. and T.B. 045.

Naylor was appointed in command of the destroyer Moy on 24 October, 1914.[2] He was thanked for helping the Riavante[?] Abbey while in this command.

Naylor commanded the destroyer Milbrook at the Battle of Jutland, where she was part of the Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla.[3]

Naylor was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 November, 1916.

In November 1917 he travelled to France.

Naylor was appointed in command of the destroyer Walpole on 19 June, 1918.[4]

Naylor was credited with having taken "immediate and energetic action" in driving German crews back to their ships to try to close valves as they scuttled their interned ships at Scapa Flow, and helped drive the light cruiser Nürnberg onto the beach as she settled.

He left Walpole in April 1921 and spent a year in the light cruiser Dragon. From there, his naval career was shore-based.

Naylor was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1921. He would die in 1924, aged just thirty-six. His death certificate recorded that he died of "heart disease of long standing".

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Gordon McL. Cameron
Captain of H.M. T.B. 033
6 Sep, 1912[5] – 24 Oct, 1914
Succeeded by
Norman G. Parker
Preceded by
Herbert R. L. Edwards
Captain of H.M.S. Moy
24 Oct, 1914[6] – 14 Dec, 1915
Succeeded by
Ralph Neville
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Musketeer
14 Dec, 1915 – late Dec, 1915
Succeeded by
Richard M. King
Preceded by
Richard M. King
Captain of H.M.S. Nymphe
late Dec, 1915 – 11 Feb, 1916
Succeeded by
Charles G. Stuart
Preceded by
Charles H. Jones
Captain of H.M.S. Larne
11 Feb, 1916 – 10 May, 1916
Succeeded by
Ian C. S. Hilton
Preceded by
Lawrence D'O. Bignell
Captain of H.M.S. Milbrook
11 May, 1916[7] – 19 Jun, 1918
Succeeded by
Hugh S. Egerton
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Walpole
19 Jun, 1918[8] – 15 Apr, 1921
Succeeded by
Hugh B. Wrey

Footnotes

  1. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 401a.
  2. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 359.
  3. Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. pp. 34, 45.
  4. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 897.
  5. The Navy List. (December, 1913). p. 402.
  6. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 396d.
  7. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 395q.
  8. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 897.