David Jones VC (10 January 1892 – 7 October 1916) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

forces. A soldier with The

King's (Liverpool) Regiment The King's Regiment (Liverpool) was one of the oldest line infantry regiments of the British Army, having been formed in 1685 when a single battalion was raised as The Anne, Queen of Great Britain, Princess Anne of Denmark's Regiment of Foot. ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he was awarded the VC for his actions in September 1916, during the

Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...

. He was killed in action several days later.

Early life

David Jones was born in

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

on 10 January 1892 to David Jones, a trained ironworker but working as a porter at the time, and Jessie Jones . The youngest of six siblings, Jones went to Heyworth Street School in Everton. When he finished his schooling, he was apprenticed to Blake's Motor Company to train as a mechanic. In 1909, he volunteered for the

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...

and served in the 9th King's (Liverpool) Regiment for four years.

First World War

On the outbreak of the First World War, Jones enlisted in the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

, and was posted to the 12th Battalion, The

. After a period of training, he, along with the battalion as part of the

20th (Light) Division The 20th (Light) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, part of Kitchener's Army, raised in the First World War. The division was formed in September 1914 as part of the K2 Army Group. The division landed in France July 1915 an ...

, was sent to the Western Front in France in June 1915. Before his departure, he married Elizabeth . The marital home was in Everton. Jones was involved in the

Battle of Loos The Battle of Loos took place from 1915 in France on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front, during the First World War. It was the biggest British attack of 1915, the first time that the British used Chemical weapons in World War I, ...

in September–October 1915 and later served in the

Ypres Salient The Ypres Salient, around Ypres, in Belgium, was the scene of several battles and a major part of the Western Front during World War I. Location Ypres lies at the junction of the Ypres–Comines Canal and the Ieperlee. The city is overlooked b ...

in Belgium the following year. The 20th Division was among those tasked for the

, and from 22 August 1916 it served in the Somme sector in France. On 3 September 1916, it was tasked with the capture of the village of Guillemont, which was strongly garrisoned by German forces. Jones was by now a

sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

. His platoon was part of a company ordered forward to strengthen the flank but it became cut off. Its commanding officer killed, for two days, under Jones's command, the trapped platoon resisted German attempts to capture their position. Even when relieved by units of the

16th (Irish) Division The 16th (Irish) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, raised for service during World War I. The division was a voluntary 'Service' formation of Lord Kitchener's New Armies, created in Ireland from the 'National Volunteers', ...

, he remained in the line for several hours before withdrawing. For his actions, he was awarded the VC. The VC, instituted in 1856, was the highest award for valour that could be bestowed on a soldier of the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

. The citation for his VC read as follows: After some days' rest, the 20th Division was then involved in the next phase of fighting on the Somme, the

Battle of Le Transloy The Battle of Le Transloy was the last big attack by the Fourth Army of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in the 1916 Battle of the Somme in France, during the First World War. The battle was fought in conjunction with attacks by the Frenc ...

. On the opening day of the battle, 7 October 1916, Jones was

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

. His battalion had just reached and entered some German trenches. He is buried in

Bancourt British Cemetery Bancourt British Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for the dead of the World War I, First World War located in the Pas de Calais region of France, on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front. History The village ...

Medals and legacy

King

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

presented Jones's VC to his widow on 31 March 1917, in a ceremony at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

. It was owned for several years by his former employer, Blake's Motor Company, which had been gifted it by Jones's widow. It was loaned to the King's Regimental Museum before it was donated in 2009 to the

Museum of Liverpool The Museum of Liverpool in Liverpool, England, tells the story of Liverpool and its people, and reflects the city's global significance. It opened in 2011 as newest addition to the National Museums Liverpool group replacing the former Museum o ...

, where it is displayed at its premises in Pierhead, Liverpool. The year after his death, two separate plaques in his memory were constructed at his former school, Heyworth Street School. One was later moved to Everton Catholic Primary School while the other is in storage. Other memorials exist at St Nathaniel's in Liverpool and Guillemont Church. The latter also commemorates John Holland and

Thomas Hughes Thomas Hughes (20 October 1822 – 22 March 1896) was an English lawyer, judge, politician and author. He is most famous for his novel ''Tom Brown's School Days'' (1857), a semi-autobiographical work set at Rugby School, which Hughes had atte ...

, two other VC recipients from the Battle of Guillemont.

Notes

References

* * *

External links

The King's Regiment
''(regiment history)'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, David 1892 births 1916 deaths British Battle of the Somme recipients of the Victoria Cross King's Regiment (Liverpool) soldiers British Army personnel of World War I British military personnel killed in the Battle of the Somme Military personnel from Liverpool British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Burials at Bancourt British Cemetery Territorial Force soldiers