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John Davies Jones
15538, Lance Corporal, 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Killed in action, 30 September 1917, aged 26
No known grave (Tyne Cot Memorial, Ypres, Belgium)
CWGC registered (Son of William Jones, of “Elvira,” Pleasant St, Llandudno)
John Davies Jones was the son of William Jones and his wife Grace Ellen Jones (née Parry). He was born in Llandudno on 9 December 1890. The Census of Wales for 1891 records the family living at “The Ivies”, Tan y fron, Llandudno; William Jones was recorded as a porter in a wine store. In January 1896, John Jones was recorded in the register of St. George’s National School with his address as “Plas Newydd” (Old Road, Llandudno). Grace Ellen Jones died in 1900 and the census for the following year records William Jones living alone at “Plas Newydd” and described as both a coal merchant and an employer. His son John Davies Jones was living at the home of his uncle, Samuel J Parry at “Bangor House”, Church Walks. In 1911, John (20) lived at the same address though the head of the household was recorded as his aunt, Jane Davies – his occupation was given as house painter.
In 1914, John Jones volunteered at Llandudno to join the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. His service number was 15538 and he was allocated to the 10th (Service) Battalion that had formed at Wrexham on 16 October 1914 as part of K3, Kitchener’s third new army. By June 1915, the battalion was at Aldershot and it landed at Boulogne on 27 September 1915. Unfortunately, John Jones’ army record no longer exists but a medal roll indicates that he spent time at an infantry base depot before joining the 1st Battalion RWF at Mory on 6 June 1917 in a draft of 100 reinforcements – this indicates that he may have been previously wounded. The date of his promotion to lance corporal is unknown though he was recorded as a private on joining the 1st RWF.
John Davies Jones was killed in action on 30 September 1917 aged 26. It was on this day when the Battalion came into the trenches at Polygon Wood near Ypres. The war diary mentions no casualties (apart from 1 to hospital) for that day but it records 27 killed, 67 wounded and four missing on the following day when the Germans attacked in force. Commonwealth War Grave Commission record two 1st RWF fatalities on 30 September and 29 on 1 November. All but two have no known grave and are commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Known memorials:
- Tyne Cot Memorial, Ypres, Belgium
- Llandudno Roll of Honour
- Llandudno War Memorial
- Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno
- Family stone in St. Tudno’s Churchyard
- Tabernacl Welsh Baptist Chapel, Llandudno
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