Pte 29238 William Henry Jones

William Henry Jones was born in late 1892, the youngest son of Charles Jones and his wife Ellen (née Williams). His parents, both born in Liverpool, married on 11th November 1883 at St Mathew's Church, Toxteth  and had six children. William had older siblings Daniel Thomas, born in 1884, Margaret Ellen 1886, Charles Henry 1888, and Richard, born in about 1890, and a younger sister Priscilla, born in 1895.  

 

In 1901 the family is shown in Edinburgh Street; the street name is crossed out, and replaced with Great Homer Street. (Electoral rolls for many years show his father at 1 Edinburgh Street, which ran between Great Homer Street and Netherfield Road, Everton.)  His father is a corn salesman, they have six children, William is 8.

 

They are still at 1 Edinburgh Street in 1911, with five of the children at home.  His father, 54, is a poultry food dealer (employer), his mother is 56, Margaret, 24, is a dress maker, Charles, 23, is a compositor (general printing), Richard, 20, is a carter, William is 18, an apprentice corn merchant, and Priscilla, is 15, domestic duties at home. (William’s name does not appear on the Liverpool Corn Trade Association Memorial, suggesting that perhaps he left this trade before enlisting.)

 

William Henry enlisted in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion as Private 29238.

The medal roll shows that he went to France as Private 29238 in the 17^th Battalion on 29^th December 1915. 

He was killed in action at Trones Wood on 10th July 1916.

The murderous fighting that went on inside Trones Wood rendered it impossible to put specific dates on some of the casualties which is why many of the 17^th Battalion losses have been bracketed as killed in action between 10^th – 12th July 1916. The conditions are best described in the following passage from Everard Wyrall’s book The History of The King’s Regiment (Liverpool) Volume II:  

The remembrance of Trones Wood in July 1916 to those who passed through it is of a noisome, horrible place, of a tangled mass of trees and undergrowth which had been tossed and flung about in frightful confusion by the shells of both sides. Of the ghastly dead which lay about in all directions, and of DEATH, lurking in every hole and corner with greedy hands ready to snatch the lives of the unwary. The place was Death trap, and although the attacks were made with great determination,   the presence of snipers who could not be detected and often fired into the backs of our men made the clearing of the wood impossible. 

His name appeared in the list of Missing published in the Liverpool Daily Post on 7th September 1916. It is not known when his family was informed of his death.

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost and he is remembered 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.” 

CWGC shows his age as 22, based on information provided by his parents. However, from his birth registration and census records, it seems William would have been 23 years old. 

Soldiers Effects to his father Charles and pension to his mother Ellen including a War Gratuity of £4.

William is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 66.

His brother Richard, then serving with the 23rd Battalion of the AIF as Bandsman 1148 made a request on 04th September 1918 for repatriation to the UK due to his brothers death, as he would be the sole support for his family.    

His father, Charles died on 23rd October 1918, aged 63 at 16 Fernwood Street Aigburth and his wife was present at his death. His death as a result of Influenza and Meningitis. His widow, Ellen's dependents pension card address was subsequently amended from 1 Edinburgh Street to 16 Fernwood Street Aigburth. 

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