Pte 32775 Harold Jones

• Age: 23
• From: Crewe, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Harold Jones was born on the 30th April 1893 and baptised 30th August, 1893 at Christ Church, Crewe. He was the son of Samuel Stanley Jones and his wife Alice (nee Eaton) who were also married in 1893. 

The 1901 census shows the family living at Back Mill Street, Crewe. 

Samuel is working as a tin smith, he had been born in Whenlock, Salop and was 35 years old. His wife was 32 and had been born in Crewe. Harold was 7 and had two brothers, 3 year old Albert and 8 month old Jack. 

Harold was educated at Edleston Road National School, Crewe. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 14 Brook Street, Crewe.

Samuel is aged 45 and still a tin smith for a railway company. His wife Alice is aged 42(married 18 years 8 children 5 still alive) and was looking after their five children: Harold aged 17, who is now working as a house painter, Albert 13 at school, Jack 10 at school, and two more children born after the last census - Walter aged 5 at school and Amy aged 3. 

Harold enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 32775 when he was killed in action on the 12th October 1916 aged 23 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.

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.”

Father died aged 50 shortly before his sons death. 

Liverpool Daily Post 4^th Nov 1916  

LATEST CREWE CASUALTIES. 

Mrs Jones of Brook Street, Crewe, has being notified of the death in action of her son, Private Harold Jones (22), of the Liverpool Regiment. Formally a carter in Crewe. 

Chester Chronicle 4^th Nov 1916  

ROLE OF HONOUR.  

KILLED IN ACTION. 

JONES - Harold Jones, King’s Liverpool Regiment, killed in action, October 12, 1916. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Alice. 

Mother Alice, dob 17^th Jan 1869, appears on the 1939 register at 32 St Clair St, Crewe with children Jack, Walter, Amy and Alice M. 

Mother died  aged 75 in 1944. 

Crewe Chronicle 25^th Nov 1944 

FUNERAL OF MRS. A. JONES. —The funeral took place on Wednesday of Mrs. Jones. aged 75, of 32, St. Clair-street, Crewe a member of the Flag-lane Methodist Church and a St. Clair-street resident all her life. Mr. Osborne officiated at the Flag-lane Church and the mourners were Miss A. Jones (daughter), Mr. J. Jones and Mr. W. Jones (sons), Mrs. E. Yates (granddaughter), Mr. J. T. Parrett, Mrs. A. E. Jones, Mrs. W. Jones, Mr. J. Parrett, Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Griffiths, Mrs. Owen, Mr. E. Yates, Miss W. Sainter, Mrs. B. James, Mrs. Shaw, Miss E. Cannon, and Mrs. Whitmore. The Co-operative Society were the undertakers. 

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