Pte 51624 John Edward Jones

• Age: 21
• 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.

John Edward Jones was born in Toxteth Park, Liverpool in the summer of 1895, the eldest son of Robert Edward Jones and Mary (née Hughes).  Robert, from Denbighshire, and Mary, from Anglesey, married in Holyhead, Anglesey, in 1894 and had three children. John had younger brothers Robert Alwyn, born in 1900, and Silvanus, in 1903. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 167 Northbrook Street, Toxteth Park. His father, aged 32, is a coal merchant born in Glyndyfrdwy, Denbigh, his mother is 35 born in Ty Croes, Anglesey, John is aged 5, and Robert is 10 months old.  

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved to 48 Kingsley Road, Toxteth. His father is a coal dealer, on his own account, and his mother, 45, is assisting in the business. John, 15, Robert, 10, and Silvanus, 7, are at school.

John enlisted in Liverpool as Rifleman 4675 joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Rifles). He embarked aboard the SS Princess Victoria from Folkestone-Boulogne on 15th July 1916, reaching the 24th Infantry Base Depot on 16th July. He proceeded to the 11th Entrenching Battalion on 02nd August and proceeded to the 17th Battalion K.L.R. on 05th August and was posted to the 17th Bn from 05th September 1916 as Private No 51624.

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.

17^th Battalion 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.” 

John Edward'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.”

His mother received a letter from Rev. P.H. Turnbull, Chaplain:-

“I deeply regret to tell you that your son Pte. J.E. Jones, of the King’s (Liverpool Regiment), died in this dressing station from wounds received in action on the 12th October. Everything possible was done for him, but he was too badly hurt. Please accept my deepest sympathy in your great sorrow. You can rest assured that you have reason to be proud of your boy, who gave his life for his country so bravely.”

His family placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 30th October 1916: 

“October 12, killed in action, aged 21 years, Private John Edward Jones, eldest and dearly-beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. R.E. Jones, 48, Kingsley Road.” 

He was reported killed in paper 20th Nov 1916. 

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Jones, 51624, J. E.;  

His father received John’s effects, including a War Gratuity of £3, his mother received his Pension. 

John is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 60 Right

London Joint City and Midland Bank Memorial.

His parents had moved back to Anglesey by the time of the 1939 register and are living on Valley Rd at Cefn Coed, Ty Croes. Robert, dob 19^th Dec 1869 is partly retired, Mary has dob 12^th Aug 1865.  

His father died, aged 80, in 1949. 

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

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