Jones, Robert (PC)

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Robert Jones (PC)

1242, Private, 5th (Reserve) Battalion, Guards Machine Gun Regiment
Died of illness after discharge, 13 November 1918, aged 25
Buried at Pentrefelin (Tabor) Congregational Chapelyard

CWGC registered (Son of Evan and Mary Jones, of Brynhyfryd, Pentrefelin)

Robert Jones is remembered as “Robert (P.C.) Jones” on the Llandudno Cenotaph indicating that he was very probably a policeman. The Llandudno Roll of Honour states that he was in the Welsh Guards. Though a link with Llandudno has yet to be proven, the only guardsman and former constable of the Caernarvonshire Constabulary with that name and who was a fatality of the Great War was PC82 Robert Jones.

Robert Jones, the son of Evan Jones, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Mary was born circa 1892 at Pentrefelin. The Census for Wales for 1901 recorded the family living at “Brynhyfryd”, Pentrefelin: Evan Jones was now a quarryman and Robert (8) was presumably at school though this is not stated. The Census for 1911 records Robert Jones still living at the home of his parents though again fails to note his occupation. On a date unknown, Robert Jones joined the Caernarvonshire Constabulary and is known to have been stationed at Caernarvon.

Robert Jones enlisted into the army at Bangor on 25 November 1915. A week previously he had been medically examined at the Military Hospital, Bangor and was recorded as being 6 feet in height, weighed 160 lb and had good physical development. His police background and physique made him a suitable candidate to enter the Guards and he joined the Welsh Guards at Caterham on 27 November 1915 with a regimental number of 2246. He embarked from Southampton on 23 September 1916 for service with the Machine Gun Company, 3rd Guards Brigade in France to which he had been attached. The 3rd Guards Brigade had formed in France in August 1915 and included the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, the Machine Gun Company forming the following month. It would appear that Robert did not join the company until 22 January 1917. On 18 June 1917, whilst serving on the Somme, he was admitted to 3 Field Ambulance with exhaustion and was evacuated to England by hospital ship on 29 June 1917. Robert spent the next few months in and out of hospital diagnosed with Addison’s Disease and Trench Fever. By May 1918, the machine gun companies of the Guards Division had been absorbed by the Guards Machine Gun Regiment and Robert Jones was given the new regimental number of 1242 and administered by the 5th (Reserve) Battalion. He was discharged from the army on 4 October 1918 as physically unfit for war service. He was awarded the Silver War Badge number B18125.

Robert Jones died of influenza leading to bronchopneumonia on 13 November 1918 at 37 High Street, Caernarfon. A local newspaper reporting his death noted that he was about to resume his duties in the Caernarvonshire Constabulary. He was buried at Pentrefelin (Tabor) Congregational Chapelyard.

Known memorials:

  • Llandudno Roll of Honour
  • Llandudno War Memorial
  • Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno
  • Pentrefelin War Memorial
  • Caernarvonshire Constabulary Roll of Honour

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