Commander Stuart Gale Jones Royal Naval Division August 1918

[ALCTay]

I'm looking for information about the circumstances of the death of this man, can anyone help please?

JONES, STUART GALE

Rank: Commander

Date of Death: 25/08/1918

Age: 37

Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Cdg. Hawke Bn. R.N. Div.

Awards: V D

Grave Reference A. 4.

Cemetery BUCQUOY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

Additional Information:

Son of Thomas Harbridge Jones and Emily Augusta Jones, of Liverpool.

Many thanks,

Amanda

[horatio2]

Killed leading Hawke Battalion in the RND attack on Le Barque, Thilloy and Ligny-Thilloy. Over fifty Hawkes fell alongside him in this battle.

[David Porter]

Amanda,

I have the War Diary for 223rd Brigade RFA (part of 63rd RN Divisional Artillery).

On August 21st to 23rd they were at Bucquoy, by August 24th had moved to Achiet-le-Petit. On the morning of August 25th they moved again and were in action near Grevillers by 1:30 pm. An enemy counter attack took place at 2:00 pm which was directly observed by the brigade and this attack was repulsed. The enemy counter attacked again at 3.00 pm but again were replused. For both counter attacks it is said the enemy sustained heavy losses. An SOS was received and answered the same day at 8:00 pm. By 5:00 pm on August 26th the advancing infantry of 63rd RN Division were attacking Thilloy and Ligny Thilloy.

Hope this helps pinpoint where Stuart Gale Jones might have been killed. EDIT: I see Horatio2 has it covered.

David

[ALCTay]

Horatio2 and David, thank you both very much for the information

[michaeldr]

Amanda,

Further to the info from H2 and David;

the map below is taken from 'The Hawke Battalion' by Douglas Jerrold, reprinted by the N & M Press.

In the text Jerrold has

“At the very beginning of the attack Commander Jones, most cheerful and considerate of commanding officers, who had survived Gallipoli, Passchendaele, and Welsh Ridge without a wound, was killed by a machine-gun bullet.”

regards

Michael

[ALCTay]

Amazing, thank you very much Michael, I would never have found that! Bit of poetic license with the text though as he was wounded at least twice during those campaigns!

many thanks

Amanda