Private 23812 John Jones

Killed in Action on Tuesday, 31st July 1917, age 29.
Commemorated on Panel 39 and 41 of Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

1st Bn., Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regt.). 24th Brigade of 8th Division.

Son of Herbert Jones, of 25, Skidmore's Row, Daisy Bank, Bradley, Bilston, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Darlaston, Resident: Bilston.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the St. John's Memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1616778/

Genealogical Data

1901 Census
23 Lockside, Tipton, Staffs.
Herbert Jones (38, Blast Furnace Labourer, born Sedgley), his wife Elizabeth (38, born Tipton), and their 6 children: Herbert C. (16, Labourer in Iron Works, born Tipton), Jane (14, born Tipton), John (11, born Tipton), Willie (8, born Tipton), George (6, born Tipton), and James (5, born Tipton).

1911 Census
13 Rainbow Street, Highfields, near Bilston, Staffs.
Herbert Jones (50, Scrap Labourer, born Sedgley), his wife Elizabeth (49, born Tipton), and 5 of their 7 surviving children of 8: John Thomas (21, Boiler Yard Labourer, born Tipton), William (18, Boiler Yard Labourer, born Tipton), George (15, Rivet Heater, born Tipton), James (13, Moulder, born Tipton), and Mary Ann (8, born Tipton).

Personal Data

This is possibly the J Jones on St. John's Memorial, but it is not certain.

Action resulting in his death

The 1st Sherwood Foresters were in 24th Brigade of 8th Division. 31st July 1917 was the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, and the 24th Brigade (consisting of the 1st Worcesters, 2nd Northampton's, 2nd East Lancashire's and 1st Sherwood Foresters) was to attack along the Menin Road towards Hooge. The 1st Worcesters and 2nd Northampton's advanced to their first objective with the 2nd East Lancashire's and 1st Sherwood Foresters assigned to push on through pass Bellewaarde Lake. The 1st Sherwood Foresters pushed on to their final objective, however heavy machine gun fire caused them to retire just West of Westhoek.

77 men of the 1st Sherwood Foresters were killed on that day, including 2 Tipton men - John Jones and Robert Barrett. Neither has a known grave and both are commemorated on the Menin Gate in Ypres.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.