Pte 32710 Frederick John Jones

• Age: 26
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Frederick John Jones was born on the 21st December 1893 and resided in Liverpool and was the son of Thomas Benjamin Jones and Elizabeth Mason who were married in St Clements, Toxteth Park on the 29th January 1893, Thomas was 27, father John, whilst Elizabeth was 26, father Richard, both of 40 Maitland St. Frederick was also baptised in St Clements on the 13th March 1894. His father is recorded as a railway employee on his marriage certificate and a shunter on Frederick’s baptism record.

In 1901 Thomas and Elizabeth are 35 and 34 years old respectively. Thomas had been born in Shotwick in Cheshire and Elizabeth in Tarbock, Lancashire. They’re living with their family at 112 Lineacre Road. Litherland where they’re running a dining room. Thomas is described as the proprietor and Elizabeth as the manageress. Frederick is their oldest child, he’s 7 years of age at the time and has four siblings – Ernest aged 5. Edith 4, and 2 year old twins Nellie and Maria. All the children were born in Liverpool. The family have a boarder and two 16 year old servants Lily Baines and Eliza Hayes, presumably helping out in the dining rooms.

By 1911 the family have moved to 25 Monro Street, Dingle. The census records that Frederick’s father is aged 46 (here called by his middle name of Benjamin) and is now a carter by trade and Elizabeth aged 45 is at home with the children. They’ve been married for 18 years and have had seven children. The children’s full names are on this census. Frederick John 17 is working now as a coopers apprentice, Ernest Beresford 16 is a pawnbrokers assistant and Ethel Loretta Phyllis 14 is a drapers assistant. Nellie Mildred 12 and Maria Victoria 10 are at school, and there are two more children born since the last census, Sydney Edwin aged 7 and Harold Benjamin aged 2.

Frederick enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 32710 when he was killed in action aged 26 on the 31st July 1917, the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18th Battalion was part of 21st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2nd Lieut. Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken. Not far away from this action, an attempt, by other men of No.1 and

No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men were wounded. They were relieved on the 2nd August.

Frederick has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

His brother Ernest Beresford was killed in action on the 28th September 1916 whilst serving as a Private in the 6th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

Frederick and his brother Ernest are both commemorated on the War Memorial at St Cleopas’ C. of E. School, Toxteth.

On July 31st 1918, one year after Frederick’s death his mother inserted a notice in the Liverpool Echo:

Jones – In loving memory of my son, Private Frederick J.Jones (Fred) K.L.R. who was killed in action July 31st 1917.

He gave his best, and died like an Englishman.

Ever remembered by all at 25 Monro Street, Dingle.

Soldiers Effects to mother Elizabeth, Pension to father Benjamin.

The father died aged 72 in 1937 and was buried on the 10th November at Allerton Cemetery. 

Family trees have Elizabeth's death aged 76 in 1941 in Leigh, Lancs.

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