Neuadd Goffa Llangynog Memorial Hall

Private John Jones

Killed in action 23rd October 1918

 

    Robert Evans    Back to War Memorial    Thomas E Jones

 

John was born in 1891, to John and Mary Jones. In 1901, at the age of ten, he was living with his parents, grandmother, and five siblings, at Ty Glas, near Llangynog. By 1911 (at the age of 20) he and an elder brother, had both taken up the occupation of farm labourers. John was still living at home with his parents, just three siblings, and his grandmother who was now 76.

     John enlisted in Welshpool. We don’t know the regiment he joined, but we do know that he was in the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders at the time of his death. During 1918 the battalion fought in many known battles in France, too many to list here. It is likely that John saw a lot of action. However, the last two weeks of his life mostly involved marching from place to place, including a particularly long march in the rain after which a rum ration was issued.

During this period, the Commanding Officer gave the men a lecture on ‘open warfare’ and the billeting was described as generally good. Then on the 23rd – 24th October the battalion were in action as part of the Advance to Victory, attacking the enemy and succeeding in taking the village of Romeries. Sadly, John was killed during the fighting, just 19 days before the Armistice. He was 27 years old.

     Private John Jones is buried and commemorated at Romeries Communal Cemetery, France, and also commemorated on the Llanrhaeadr War Memorial.