Pte 51569 Arthur Frederick Jones

• Age: 18
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Warlencourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: V.A.23

Arthur Frederick Jones was born on 13th December 1897, the son of John Jones and his wife Mary Ellen (née Littler).  John, from Shropshire/Wales, and Mary Ellen, from Liverpool, who were married on the 13^th April 1888 at St Mary’s, Edge Hill. John was a 24 year old railway police officer, father John, whist Mary was aged 25, father Samuel, both of 56 Lissant St. They had six children, their first child, Edward, born in 1890, died at age 6, the next child, Mary, born in 1893, died in infancy.  Arthur was the second of the surviving children:  he had an older brother John Samuel, born in 1895, and younger brothers, twins David Allen and George Sydney born in 1900.  Arthur was baptized in St. Peter’s, Liverpool, on 30th December 1897, his parents residence Underley Street, Toxteth Park, and his father’s occupation labourer. 

In 1901, the family, with four sons, is living with his maternal grandparents, Samuel and Elizabeth Littler at 15 Bryanston Road, Aigburth.  Samuel is a retired farrier/blacksmith, Arthur’s father is a van driver, John is 5, Arthur is 3, the twins are three months old.

By 1911 they live around the corner from their previous residence, and are now at 6 Chetwynd Street, Aigburth.

His father, 46, is a tea salesman b.Llansillen, Nr Oswestry, his mother is 47, they have been married for 22 years,and have had 6 children, of which two died, John is 16, is a hosiery shop assistant, Arthur 13, David and George, 10, are at school.  

He enlisted in Liverpool as Rifleman 3948, joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Rifles). He embarked from Folkestone-Boulogne on 15th July 1916, reaching the 24th Infantry Base Depot on 16th July. He then proceeded to the 11th Entrenching Battalion on 02nd August 1916 and further proceeded to the 17th Battalion K.L.R. on 05th August and was posted from 05th September 1916 to the 17th battalion K.L.R. as Private 51569.   

Arthur was killed in action on the 12th October 1916, aged 18, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

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.” 

Arthur rests at Warlencourt British Cemetery, France. 

Warlencourt Cemetery is entirely a concentration cemetery, begun late in 1919 when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and the battlefields of Warlencourt and Le Sars.  The Graves Registration form shows graves from “Le Sars 6/1, 6/2, Hexham Road, Seven Elms”.

Graves were brought in from the original cemeteries at Hexham Road (Le Sars), and Seven Elms (Flers), as well as over 3,000 British graves due to the fighting which took place around the Butte de Warlencourt from the autumn of 1916 to the spring of 1917, and again in the German advance and retreat of 1918.   The cemetery now contains 3,505 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War, 1,823 of which are unidentified.

Arthur’s name appeared in the list of those Killed published in the Liverpool Post & Mercury on 20th November 1916. His parents received Arthur’s effects, including a War Gratuity of £3-10s.  The  pension card does not show the amount awarded.

Brother John Samuel enlisted on 7th August 1914, as 337178, 87th Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.  He served in Gallipoli before being sent to the western front in 1916.  John was wounded on 25th November 1917, and died the same day.  He was 22. John now rests at Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt, Somme.

John's death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 14th December 1917:

“Jones - November 25, died of wounds, in his 23rd year, Private John Samuel; also in loving birthday remembrance of Private Arthur Frederick, killed in action, October 12, 1916, in his 19th year. - Lovingly remembered by Annie Wooley and little Doris, 6 Chetwynd Street, Aigburth.”

In 1919 his parents provided the Army information on John’s living relatives:  they were still living at 16 Chetwynd Street, Aigburth.  The twins, now 18 and a half, were serving; George with the Royal Navy on H.M.S. Constance, and David with the R.A.F. at Wendover. 

His parents drop off the Electoral Roll at 6 Chetwynd Street in 1930 leaving just George Sydney. 

Grateful thanks are extended to Kevin Shannon the author of the book The Liverpool Rifles for providing details of Arthur's service with the 6th Rifles.  

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