If you can add any information about this soldier, please use the comment form at the bottom of this page.
If you would like to be informed of any additions or amendments to The Great War Project, please join our Facebook group.
The Great War Project navigation
Overview A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P R S T W
Jesse Ayres
695451, Gunner, 258th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (Territorial Force)
Killed in action, 28 May 1917, aged 29
Buried at Anzac Cemetery, Sailly-Sur-La-Lys, France
CWGC registered (Son of Jesse Robert Ayres, of Banbury Rd, Brackley, Northants)
HE DID HIS DUTY
Jesse Ayers was born at Radstone, Northamptonshire on 2 January 1888. He was the son of Jesse Robert Ayers, a railway signalman, and his first wife Elizabeth Ann Ayers (née Gessey). Sadly, Elizabeth Ayers died in 1890 and in 1891 Jesse (junior) was recorded as staying with his grandfather at Radstone. Ten years later, Jesse, now a grocer’s errand boy, was living with his father and stepmother, Mary, at Brackley.
Jesse Ayres began employment with the London and North Western Railway on 8 September 1902 as a porter, serving at Brackley, Bicester and Verney Junction. He later became an apprentice clerk and worked at several L&NWR stations in North Wales including Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction (1907), Rhyl (1910) and Llandudno (1912). At Llandudno he is recorded as being a junior relief clerk with an annual salary of £80. In 1911 he was boarding in Colwyn Bay.
Jesse enlisted into the army on 1 November 1915, joining the 3rd West Lancashire Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, Territorial Force at Liverpool. He gave his address as “Egerton House”, Vaughan Street, Llandudno. His service number was 2669 (later 695451).
Jesse’s attestation paper names his unit the 3rd WLFRA as well as the “Liverpool Coopers”. Information about the Liverpool Coopers as a military unit has not been found though Jesse’s record is not unique in this respect. When he attested, he signed the Imperial and General Service Obligation – agreeing to be sent overseas. This is not unsurprising as conscription was to be introduced shortly and had he not signed the obligation, then he might have been discharged and conscripted into a unit over which he had no choice.
Jesse Ayers was promoted to acting bombardier on 3 January 1916 and he was posted to the 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division Ammunition Column on 15 February 1916. On 28 February 1916, he was promoted to bombardier. In July 1916, the division moved to the Aldershot area. Jesse Ayers spent a couple of weeks in Aldershot Isolation Hospital with tonsillitis in November 1916. On 15 February 1917, Jesse embarked at Southampton and landed in France the following day. His division concentrated at Merris, taking over the right sector of II Anzac Corps, north of Le Tilleoly.
In April 1917, Jesse Ayers reverted to the rank of gunner. A certificate in his record reads “1 Section, 57th W. Lancs Divisional Ammunition Column. Certified that 695451 Bombardier Ayers J, reverted to the rank of Gunner at his own request on 28/4/17 did not so revert in order to avoid Courts Martial.” Jesse was posted to 285 (2/1st West Lancs) Brigade, RFA on 17 May 1917. He was killed in action on 28 May 1917 aged 29 and buried at Anzac Cemetery, Sailly-Sur-La-Lys.
Known memorials:
- Brackley War Memorial
- Llandudno Roll of Honour
- Llandudno War Memorial
- Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno
- London and North Western Railway Roll of Honour
Leave a Reply