Sgt 15437 William Frederick Jones

• Age: 25
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Thursday 20th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Daours Cc Ext
  Panel Ref: I.B.25

William Frederick Jones was born in the June quarter of 1891 in Liverpool and was the son of Frederick Hart Jones and his wife Margaret Ellen (nee McGuffie). They had married in 1889 at St Mary's Church, Kirkdale.

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 33 Major Street, Kirkdale. William is 10 years old and is living with his parents and five siblings. His father is a 30 year old flour mill engine driver born in New Brighton, whilst his mother is 30 years of age and was born in Liverpool. His siblings, all born in Liverpool are shown as; Alice Maud aged 8, Lily 5, Florence 4, Margaret E. 2 and Catherine 1 

By 1911 the family are living at 60 Foley Street, Liverpool. William is now 20 years of age and is employed as a shipping clerk. He lives with his parents, who advise that they have been married for 21 years and have had eight children, five of whom have survived. Those listed in the household as well as William are; Lily aged 15 and a general domestic  Florence Mary aged 14, Maggie Ellen 12 and George Albert aged 10 months. 

William enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 02nd September 1914 and posted to the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 15437.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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.

He sailed to France with his Battalion on 07th November 1915, he was appointed unpaid Lance-Sergeant on 05th March 1916, and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 08th June the same year. He was granted leave to the UK between 2nd and 11th June 1916.

In the attack at Montauban on the 01st July 1916, he was hit by shrapnel which penetrated his shoulder and was initially treated at 96 Field Ambulance. He was subsequently transferred to 45 Casualty Clearing Station where he died on 20th July.

The 17^th Battalion Diary describes the action of the day upon which William received his wounds:

3.30 am the Battalion in position in assembly trenches -Battalion frontage from Maricourt – Briqueterie Rd to 100 yards west of Maricourt – Montauban Rd – 1^st wave, 2 platoons of A Company on the right and 2 platoons of B company on the left. 2^nd wave remaining platoons of these companies. 3^rd wave C Company and 4^th wave D Company in parallel trenches at about 100 yards distance. 3^rd Battalion 153^rd French Infantry on our right and 20 KLR on our left. The Battalion’s objective was Dublin Trench from Dublin Redoubt exclusive to a point 400 yards west.

7.30 am – “Zero Hour”. The assault commenced, some shelling but very slight infantry resistance and little machine gun fire encountered, the work of our artillery having been very effective on the German trenches.

8.30 am – the objective was taken at 08.30 am the French on our right gaining their’s at the same hour. Lieutenant-Colonel B C Fairfax and Commandant Le Petit commanding 3^rd Battalion 153^rd Regiment arrived together in Dublin Trench. A and B Companies dug in almost 100 yards south of Dublin Trench which the Germans shelled intermittently all day hardly touching the new trench. Casualties up to 12 noon, Captain E C Torrey commanding C Company, Lt D H Scott commanding A Company and 2^nd Lieutenant P L Wright wounded 100 other ranks. Later in the day the 90^th Brigade took Montauban and the 20^th KLR captured the Briqueterie. Lt Scott died of wounds in a French hospital at Cerisy where Captain Mirascou commanding the left Company of the French also lay wounded. Perfect liaison existed between the French and ourselves the above two officers commanding respectively our right Company and the French left Company being in constant touch. Shortly after the attack commenced the Battalion Headquarters moved to a German dugout in Favieres Support under Briqueterie Road where Commandant Le Petit also established his H.Q. During the remainder of the day there was intermittent bombardment of Dublin and Casement and  Favieres Support trenches. Rations were brought up safely at night. Disposition of the Battalion – 2 Companies in Dublin and 2 in Casement.

William now rests at Daours Communal Cemetery  Extension in France.

The preparations for the Somme offensive of July 1916 brought a group of casualty clearing stations (the 1st/1st South Midland, 21st, 34th, 45th and Lucknow, section "B") to Daours. The extension to the communal cemetery was opened and the first burials made in Plots I, II, Row A of Plot III and the Indian plot, between June and November 1916. The Allied advance in the spring of 1917 took the hospitals with it, and no further burials were made in the cemetery until April 1918, when the Germans recovered the ground they had lost. From April to the middle of August 1918, the extension was almost a front line cemetery. In August and September 1918, the casualty clearing stations came forward again (the 5th, 37th, 41st, 53rd, 55th and 61st) but in September, the cemetery was closed. There are now 1,231 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in Daours Communal Cemetery Extension. The total includes special memorials to four men of the Chinese labour corps whose graves in White Chateau Cemetery, Cachy, could not be located. The adjoining communal cemetery contains two First World War burials made before the extension was opened. The extension was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Evening Express on 04th August 1916:

"Sergeant W.F.Jones, of the Pals, killed in action. He was an active member of Pastor Wise's Men's Bible Class, for which he was an indefatigable worker."

William's medals and death plaque are held in the King's Regiment Collection which is housed in the Museum of Liverpool. 

Soldiers Effects to his father Frederick H.

William Frederick Jones is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance at Liverpool Town Hall on Panel 60 Right.

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