Pte 300035 John Jones

• Age: 25
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 1st October 1917
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Just one week later he was killed in action on the 1st October, 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

18^th Battalion War Diary for 01st October 1917

6:45 pm

The Medical Officer , Dr. W. T. CHANING – PEARCE M.C. left his Aid Post, at 0.21. Central for the purpose of visiting No.3 Coy H.Q. at WALL FARM. It was quite light at the time & he was accompanied by an Orderly. He proceeded along the VERNE ROAD through OOSTTAVERNE and eventually, reached a post in the Picquet Line, where he stopped and spoke with the N.C.O. on duty. This N.C.O. pointed out the position of Coy. H.Q. and the enemy lines.

Dr PEARCE assured him he knew his way to WALL FARM and left the Picquet Line at about 7 o’clock to continue his journey. For a reason which cannot be explained, Dr PEARCE then turned from the road to the left, towards the enemy lines, instead of to the right towards WALL FARM. He was seen by men holding posts in the Shell hole line to pass through our line of wire, and, shortly afterwards he was seen running back again towards our lines.

Before he could reach cover, however, he was shot dead from an enemy block-house in the neighbourhood of BEE FARM O.23.b.1.6. His orderly dragged him to a shell hole and remained until he was convinced he was dead, then ran to our lines. A patrol was sent out at dark to search for the Doctor’s body but could not find it. Further patrols went out, however, and it was eventually recovered and sent to DERRY HOUSE for burial.

Battalion H.Q. moved from DERRY HOUSE to PRINCE RUPRECHT’S DUGOUTS  at O.20.b.1.2.

Casualties      Killed

Capt. W.T. Chaning- Pearce M.C.

300035 Pte J Jones

300412 Pte A Wyman              

John's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

Soldiers Effects show a War Gratuity of £9-10s to his father Thomas, who appears to have died not long afterwards.  His mother Margaret, living at 9 Wylva Road, Anfield, received a pension of 9/- a week. It is not known when his mother died.

His brother Richard served in the 1st  Lancashire Fusiliers.