George Jones
Medal Index Card
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Jones was born in the parish of St. James, Gateshead, County Durham, February 5th 1883 where he was baptised March 19th, one of 9 known children he was the second born of 4 sons and 5 daughters. His father David Jones was born at Wolverhampton, Staffordshire in 1844 although his parents originated from Wales. Having migrated to the north east he met and married at Escomb, district of Bishop Auckland, February 16th 1862, Emma Holmes born 1846 at Liscard, Cheshire, daughter of Thomas and Jane Holmes originally of Staffordshire. Between 1862 and 1881 they moved from Witton Park, near Bishop Auckland, to Middlesbrough and West Hartlepool, as David was employed in the iron industry as a puddler. By 1881 they had made their final move to Gateshead and were living at 37 & 39 Somerset Street, a property they shared with the Surtees family, with 6 of their children Thomas (11), Charlotte (9), Sarah (7), Jane Ann (5) and Emily (1), later at 81, Southey Street after the birth of George, Albert and Edwin, and by 1911 at 2, Railway Terrace, High Dunston, with only their younger sons Albert (24) and Edwin (20) still living at home. They and their father were employed at the iron works.
George had married December 29th 1906 at St. Mary Gateshead to local girl, Mary Ellen Richardson born 1886 with whom he had 4 sons, Albert born June 5th 1907, George Jnr August 29th 1909, John Robert November 27th 1911 and Sydney April 19th 1914. In 1911 they lived at 17, Stoke Square, High Dunston.
On the outbreak of war he left his employment as a fire brick maker and enlisted at Gateshead, September 8th 1914, assigned as Private 18674 Durham Light Infantry. and moved to their barracks at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Over 4,000 new recruits left Newcastle by train September 16th 1914 for Bullswater Camp, near Pirbright in Surrey and were divided into the 12th and 13th Battalions Durham Light Infantry and the 10th and 11th Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers the following day, Private Jones was posted to the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. With the onset of winter Bullswater tented camp became unusable, the Battalions were moved to Malplaquet Barracks in Aldershot, later to Ashord in Kent and finally to Bramshott in Hampshire. They received khaki uniforms and leatherwear by February 1915, then final training began in earnest.
As part of the first wave of men he departed to France, August 23rd 1915, attached to the 68th Brigade, 21st Division, disembarking August 25th. The Regiment prepared for its participation at the Battle of Loos, September 25th-October 8th 1915 after which they were moved to the trenches at Armentieres and Souchez where the Battalion spent the winter of 1915 until spring 1916. June 1916 the Regiment moved south to the Somme where the 13th Battalion entered the battle, July 7th 1916 at La Boisselle and were involved in desperate fighting during early August near Munster Alley, east of Pozieres.
Wounded in the line of duty Private 18476 George Jones Durham Light Infantry died August 3rd 1916 at the 2nd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division and interred at Albert Communal Cemetery, Somme, France, grave I. M. 49. He was 33 years of age.
After his death Mary Ellen moved with their children to 3, Garden Street, Gateshead. As per his will she received all his effects including money owed to him by the Army, a pension as of February 19th 1919 of 22 shillings 6 pence a week for herself and their children also his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. She commissioned at a cost of 7 shillings 10 pence an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “Death Divides But Memory Clings,” giving her address as 56, Oakwellgate, Gateshead, County Durham.
Mary Ellen Jones nee Richardson never remarried and died at Gateshead in 1963 aged 76 years. Further details as regards Albert and George Jones, unknown. John Robert Jones married in 1947 Vera Allan, born at Middlesbrough, he died May 3rd 1962 at Burton-upon-Trent, Vera Jones nee Allan in 2004 in the City of York, Yorkshire. Sydney Jones married Monica C Baldwin born December 19th 1923 at Burton-upon-Trent where she died October 20th 2004. Her death was preceded by that of her husband Sydney, November 3rd 1988 in Warwickshire.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Jones is remembered at Dunston Hill on D31.01 and at Durham in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 202.
