Serjeant 2559 Raymond George Jukes


Killed in Action on Saturday, 1st July 1916, age 22.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 9 A 9 B and 10 B of Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

1st/6th Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment. 143rd Brigade of 48th Division.

Son of William Henry and Elizabeth Jukes, of The Hollies, Burnt Tree, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, 22nd March 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/797282/


Genealogical Data

1901 Census
Gate Street, Burnt Tree, Tipton, Staffs.
William H Jukes (40, Surveyor to Tipton Urban District Council, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (38, born Tipton), and their 4 children: Beatrice E (24, born Tipton), Maud Ethel (24, born Tipton), Claud William (19, born Tipton), and Raymond G. (16, born Tipton).

1911 Census
40a Burnt Tree, Tipton, Staffs.
William Henry Jukes (50, Surveyor to Tipton Urban District Council, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (48, born Tipton), and their 4 children: Beatrice Elizabeth (24, born Tipton), Maud Ethel (24, born Tipton), Claud William (19, Contractor's Engineer, born Tipton), and Raymond George (16, Pupil to Father, born Tipton).


Personal Data

Raymond Jukes was the second son of William H. Jukes, the Tipton Council Engineer and Surveyor. Raymond was missing after the 1/6th Warwicks attack on 1st July 1916, and although there were unofficial reports that Raymond had been killed, it was almost a year before Mr Jukes was officially told that his son must be assumed to have died.

As well as being commemorated on the Tipton memorials, Raymond is commemorated on the Birmingham Public Works & Town Planning Department memorial, and the Birmingham Roll of Honour.


Action resulting in his death

The 1/6th Royal Warwicks were part of 143rd (Warwickshire) Brigade of 48th (South Midlands) Division, this Division was to be in reserve on 1st July 1916 - the First Day of the Battle of the Somme. The 1/6th Royal Warwicks were, however, loaned to 11th Brigade, 4th Division for their attack between Serre and the Quadrilateral Redoubt, modern day Serre No 2 CWGC cemetery. 11th Brigade was to lead this sector of the attack, the first wave had the objective of the first four line of German trenches, the second wave, including the 1/6 Royal Warwicks, was to pass through and advance beyond Munich trench and secure the first German position.

The first wave took the first two lines quickly, casualties were taken from machine gun fire in the third line, but this and the fourth lines were taken. The second wave, including the 1/6th Royal Warwicks, took heavy casualties from artillery fire in No-Mans-Land and arrived too weak to advance to Munich Trench. By afternoon, most remaining troops of the 11th Brigade were concentrated around the Quadrilateral, but taking fire from all sides as Divisions on both flanks had failed to make any gains. The 11th Brigade was relieved in the late afternoon.

During this day, 148 men from the 1/6th Royal Warwicks were killed, amongst them three Tipton men. Sgt Raymond Jukes and Private Ernest Smith have no known graves and are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, and Private Thomas Watters is buried in Serre No. 2 Cemetery.


Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald 5th September 1914
Mr Raymond Jukes, second son of Mr WH Jukes the Urban Council Surveyor of Tipton, has enlisted in the Special Birmingham non-manual battalion. Mr Jukes is in the office of the City Engineer of Birmingham.

Tipton Herald 8th May 1915
Mr WH Jukes, who for 25 years has been Engineer and Surveyor for Tipton Urban District Council, has two sons in the colours. The elder, Mr Claud Jukes, is in the Royal Flying Corps, and his second son, Mr Raymond Jukes, is now a Corporal in the 6th Royal Warwicks, serving at the front.

Tipton Herald 13th November 1915
Mr WH Jukes, the Surveyor for Tipton Urban District Council, has two sons serving with the colours. One is in the Flying Corps "somewhere in England." The other, who is in the infantry, has just come home for a brief respite straight from the trenches. He has had some exciting times.

Tipton Herald 15th July 1916
The Council Engineer and Surveyor for Tipton (Mr WH Jukes) has received unofficial intimation that his second son, Mr Raymond Jukes, who was a Sergeant in the Royal Warwicks has been killed in the recent great advance. The Warwicks have played a prominent part in recent operations. Before the war Sergeant Jukes was in the City Engineer's office at Birmingham.

Tipton Herald 22nd July 1916
The Borough Surveyor of Tipton and Mrs WH Jukes are left in a grave state of uncertainty concerning the fate of their son, Sergeant Raymond Jukes, of the Royal Warwickshires, who played a noble part in the great offensive of July 1st. The gallant young soldier was first unofficially reported killed, but the latest notification that the parents have received is from the Company Sergeant-Major, who wrote that Sergeant Jukes was seen charging over the trenches but had not been seen since. The only hope that Mr and Mrs Jukes now have is that their son may be a prisoner in the hands of the Germans. A comrade had previously written that he was shot down.

Tipton Herald 5th August 1916
Mr W.H. Jukes, Surveyor of Tipton, has not heard any further news of the fate of his son, Sgt Raymond Jukes.

Tipton Herald 12th August 1916
Mr WH Jukes, Surveyor and Engineer for Tipton, has heard nothing further concerning the fate of his son, Sergeant Raymond Jukes. He has had an official report saying that his son is reported missing.

Tipton Herald 28th October 1916.
Some months ago Tipton's Surveyor and Engineer heard that his son, Corporal Raymond Jukes, had been seen to fall in the early days of the great offensive. He received the official tidings that his son was reported missing, but has never heard anything since. The sympathies of all who know them will have gone out to Mr and Mrs W.H. Jukes.

Tipton Herald 5th May 1917
No official news having been received to the contrary, it is with great sorrow that the death of Sergeant Raymond Jukes, the youngest son of Mr and Mrs W.H. Jukes, of "The Hollies", Burnt Tree, Tipton, has now to be presumed killed. He was reported missing as far back as July of last year.
Also Roll of Honour same day
JUKES - Previously reported "missing" and now presumed killed in action July 1st 1916, Sergeant Raymond George Jukes, 6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Younger and dearly beloved son of Mr and Mrs W.H. Jukes, of "The Hollies", Burnt Tree, Tipton, aged 22. Lost, but never forgotten.

Tipton Herald 30th June 1917
In Memoriam.
JUKES- In loving memory of Sergt. R.G. Jukes of the 6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment; youngest son of Mr and Mrs W.H. Jukes of 'The Hollies', Burnt Tree, Tipton. Presumed killed in action on 1st July 1916.