Sgt 22743 John Bowers Jones

• Age: 27
• From: Burslem, Staffs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

John Bowers Jones was born in 1889 at Burslem, Staffordshire, the son of William James Jones and Martha Bowers. The couple were married on the 16th December 1880 in St Peters Church, Liverpool. William, born in Handley, Staffordshire, was aged 22, father Robert, whilst Martha, born in Liverpool, was aged 20, father John. William was born in Ruthin, North Wales, and Martha in Liverpool.  However, they state on the 1911 census that they have been married for 24 years and have had four children; whereas eight children are found on censuses. John had older siblings Mary Elizabeth, born in Birkenhead, William, and Martha Ellen, both born in Liverpool.  After living for a few years in Staffordshire, where John was born in 1889, the family moved to Manchester, where Robert and (Mary) Maria were born, and by 1898 they had moved to Liverpool, where Jane and Sarah Winifred were born.  

The family were living at 4 Willow Street, Manchester at the time of the 1891 census.

Father William J. was aged 35, a road labourer, Hanley, Staffordshire, mother Martha was aged 30. John was 2 years old and had an older brother William aged 8 at school, an older sister Martha aged 6 and a baby brother Robert aged 6 months. Also present are two lodgers. 

Between census’ his father William James appears to have died and replaced by a John Jones, born in Ruthin and 10 years younger. 

At the time of the 1901 census the family are living at 104 Kilshaw Street, Everton.

Father John was aged 35, a builders labourer, now born in Ruthin, mother Martha was aged 40. Living at home are; Elizabeth aged 19 is a wire worker, working on her own account at home, and William, 18, is a builder’s labourer. John is 12, Robert 10, Maria, 6, Jane 2, and Sarah 5 months old.

John, aged 22, is working as a brick setter by the time of the 1911 census. He is living with his parents, John William was aged 44, a labourer, mother Martha is aged 40(married 24 years, 4 children), brother Robert, aged 20, who is a labourer, and sisters Jane 12 and Sarah 10. The family are living at 21 Scorton Street, Tuebrook. 

John married Dorothy Melvina Coltart on the 21st July 1913 at All Saints Church, Stoneycroft.  John gave his age as 24, his occupation as bricklayer, father William James a bricklayer, and address as 8 Belfast Road, whilst Dorothy was aged 21 of 7 Belfast Road, father Charles a paperhanger. They went on to have a son also named John Bowers who died of Bronchitis on the 20th February 1916 aged 17 months, when John was away in France. 

He enlisted on the 09th November in Liverpool, joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 22743. He gave his age as 26 years and 327 days and his occupation as a bricklayer. He was described as being five feet four inches tall, weighed 123lbs, 36” chest, fresh complexion, grey eyes, dark brown hair and stated his religion as Church of England. He gives, as next of kin, his wife Dorothy at 3 Littledale Cottages, Knotty Ash.  

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

19.4.15: Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on probation.

01.7.15: Appointed paid Lance Corporal.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.

08.3.16: Promoted to Corporal. 

01.7.16: Appointed acting sergeant.

John was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 27,  at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July. 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.       

John was initially declared Missing. 

Liverpool Daily Post - Thursday 14 September 1916 

[newspaper muddled the details] 

King’s (Liverpools) - Jones, 22741, Sergt. J. P., Jones, 22743, W.;  

Nearly 11 months later, the War Office wrote to Infantry Records on 23rd June 1917:

“The Army Council has decided that this soldier is to be regarded for official purposes as having died on or since the 30th July, 1916.  The next of kin should be notified accordingly ….”

John's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

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.”

John is also commemorated in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 69.

His wife’s address after his death was given as 3 Littledale Cottages, Knotty Ash, Liverpool.

His CWGC record gives his middle name as Bower.

His Army pay of £11-10s-11d and a War Gratuity of £10-10s went to Dorothy, who was awarded a pension of 10/6d a week in March 1917, increased to 16/3d a month later. Her address at the time was 61 Curate Road, Cabbage Hall, Clubmoor.

In 1919 Dorothy provided information on John’s living relatives.  She was living at 61 Curate Road; she lists his father(none), his mother at 21 Scorton Street with son William, and one sister, Martha Spencer, at 8 Belfast Road, Old Swan. 

Dorothy remarried to David Thomas in 1921 and in 1939 she is living with her husband and two sons at 123 Scargreen Aveniue, off Utting Avenue.   

Dorothy died aged 91 in 1984. 

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