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Urgent request..Cpl james Jones1/7th RoyalWelsh Fusiliers


jones31

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Sorry to be so uninformed and in such a hurry but can anyone offer details of this man? I believe he was a student teacher who joined up in 1914 and served in Sulva Bay, Gallipoli (where he was wounded) and in Palestine where he died. I know he is buried in Beersheba but his body may have been moved there from Egypt. Please help if you can. Thank you for taking the trouble to read this.

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Presumably this is our man?

Name: JONES, JAMES

Initials: J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Corporal

Regiment/Service: Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Unit Text: 1st/7th Bn.

Age: 21

Date of Death: 11/11/1917

Service No: 290855

Additional information: Son of Edwin and Mary Jones, of The Belan, Guilsfield, Welshpool.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: P. 54.

Cemetery: BEERSHEBA WAR CEMETERY

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=644762

Details for Soldier Died in the Great War:

Name: James Jones

Birth Place: Guilsfield, Mont.

Enlisted at: Welshpool, Mont.

Death Date: 11 Nov 1917

Rank: A/Corporal

Regiment: Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Battalion: 7th Battalion.

Number: 290855

Type of Casualty: Died of wounds

Theater of War: Palestine

Considering that the 1/7th RWF took part in the Battle of Beersheba as part of 158th Brigade of the 53rd (Welsh) Division, on 31-10-1917, then he is likely buried not far from the place that he fell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Beersheba

He did indeed serve at Gallipoli, as eveidenced by his Medal Index Card:

post-6536-1233179822.jpg

Steve.

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Try looking on this link for the CWGC site it should help until someone better with computers comes along..http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=644762.. JIM

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He has a 32 page service file on Ancestry.co.uk.

Index entries:

Name: James Jones

Age: 18

Birth Year: abt 1896

Birth Parish: Guilsfield

Birth County: Montgomery

Regiment Name: Bn RW Fus

Regiment Number: 3338

Document Year: 1914

Number of Images: 32

Steve.

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Could someone please try and explain to me how to print the SDGW page or indeed the CWGC page onto these replies. I would really like to try and help with other peoples queries rather than continually ask questions myself, but lack the knowledge how to.. :)

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Details from CWGC as per Jim's link

Name: JONES, JAMES

Initials: J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Corporal

Regiment/Service: Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Unit Text: 1st/7th Bn.

Age: 21

Date of Death: 11/11/1917

Service No: 290855

Additional information: Son of Edwin and Mary Jones, of The Belan, Guilsfield, Welshpool.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: P. 54.

Cemetery: BEERSHEBA WAR CEMETERY

Extra info from SDGW:

Born: Guilsford

Enlisted:Welshpool

Died of wounds, Egypt

HTH

Garry

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I would think he was wounded in the third battle of Gaza, when the 1/7th attacked and captured Khuweilfeh Hill, not far from Beersheba on the 7/8 november 1917.

/Lars.

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Although the file seems incomplete (there are often bits missing from these files), the following is a summary of what is there:

Born at Guilsfield, Montgomeryshire.

A school teacher prior to enlisting.

Enlisted at Welshpool, age 18 years, 21-11-1914

Posted to 7th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers, No. 3338

Volunteered for overseas service by signing the Imperial Service Obligation at Aberystwith on 15-12-1914

Posted to 1/7th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 30-1-1915 (probably due to the splitting of the battalion betweem Overseas & Home Service soldiers)

Embarked to Gallipoli, 17-7-1915

Arrived at Gallipoli, 8-8-1915

Disembarked at Suvla Bay, 9-8-1915

Arrived back in England, 23-8-1915

Admitted to Netley Hospital, Hampshire, GSW chest, 23-8-1915 to 3-9-1915

(12 days in hospital - treated for four wounds on the left thorax - "healed perfectly". Recommended for light duties by a Japanese Dr. whose name I can't make out)

Posted to 3/7th Battalion, 23-9-1915

Appointed as acting Lance-Corporal, 8-4-1916

Posted to 1/7th battalion RWF, 6-10-1916

Embarked back to Egypt, 6-10-1916

Rejoined from 1/5th ??????, 19-12-1916

Appointed as acting Corporal, ?????

Renumbered as 290855, Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Died of wounds received in action (acting Corporal), 11-11-1917

Next of kin: Parents - Edwin and Mary Jones, Blacksmith, The Smithy, Guilsfield, Welshpool. Also details of brothers (2, in in Australia) and sisters (5)

There are various other bits and pieces realting to receipt of meadls, memorial scroll, etc.

Steve.

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1/7th (Montgomeryshire & Merionethshire) Battalion RWF (TF)

His Medal Card shows that his previous regimental number was 3338, and that he first entered a Theatre of War ("Balkans") on 8 August 1915. All this means in reality was that he served in the Gallipoli campaign.

He was a Private at that time, but later rose to be Acting Corporal. He earned the 1914-15 Star, War and Victory Medals, and the card confirms he DOW on 11 Nov 1917. This was presumably following the 3rd Gaza/Beersheba battles.

His number would have changed at the start of 1917 to a series commencing with 290001 for the 7th RWF.

Local newspapers (Guilsfield/Welshpool) for the early War period would possibly mention his enlistment; likewise after his death an obituary might have been printed.

LST_164

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Lars,

didn't see the other thread! Thanks for letting me know the rest of the research was there.

LST_164

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Fantastic! Thank you all very much. Any reason why James' sister might have been convinced his body was buried twice?

Yes - The vast majority of graves in Beersheba War Cemetery were created after the Armistice for those brought in from battlefield graves and smaller burial sites. See the CWGC Cemetery description here.

Regards

Mike S

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