Pte 51964 Albert Ernest Jones

• Age: 23
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Albert Ernest Jones (known as Bert) was born in the September quarter of 1893, son of William Jones and his wife Mary Anne (née Cryer). His parents were both born in Liverpool and married there in 1890 at Holy Trinity, Walton Breck, his father was a 27 year old grocer of 16 Chelsea Rd, father Richard, whilst Mary Ann was aged 25 of 287 Rice Lane, father Edmund.  They had four children, all boys. Albert had two older brothers, Richard Edmund, born in 1890, and William Valentine in 1892, and a younger brother Frederick, born in 1900. 

In 1901 the family is living at 4 Hadden Avenue, Orrell Park, his father 37, is a grocer’s assistant, mother is 36, Richard is 10, William 9, Albert 7, and Frederick is 6 months old.

By 1911 they have moved to 7 Chevin Road, Walton. His father is a grocery dealer (employer), Richard, 20, is a salesman, William, 19, is a railway clerk, Albert, 17, is an assistant, at home, and Frederick is 10, at school.

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 51964 when he was killed in action on the 12th October 1916 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive. He was 22 or possibly 23 years old.

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds: “As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.” 

Albert Ernest has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He was reported killed in paper 20th Nov 1916. 

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Jones, 51964, A. E.; 

On the first anniversary of his death, his family placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo, on 12th October 1917 :

“In loving remembrance of Private Albert E. (Bert) Jones, K.L.R., killed in action October 12, 1916 (Duty nobly done.) 

     Father in Thy gracious keeping,

     Leave we now our dear one sleeping.

- 7 Chevin Road, Aintree.”

His father William received his effects, including a War Gratuity of £3.

Albert Ernest Jones is commemorated on the Memorial at St John the Evangelist  Church in Walton.  

Father drops off the electoral roll at 7 Chevin Rd in 1930, he probably died aged 60 in 1929 and the mother drops off the electoral roll at 7 Chevin Rd in 1934, leaving son William Valentine. 

We currently have no further information on Albert Ernest Jones, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.