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11419 Pte. Alfred Jones, 1st Bn. Middlesex Regt., KIA 14/08/1918


verdun

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I recently acquired the 1914 Trio belonging to 11419 Pte. Alfred Jones, 1st Bn. Middlesex Regiment, KIA 14/08/1918, aged 30.

 

I would like to find out more about this soldier, but information is scare.

 

SDGW says he was born in Bethnal Green and his service number suggests an enlistment date of around 1907.

His MIC makes no mention of Clasp and Roses, which is not unusual, although he almost certainly qualified, having landed in France on August 11th 1914.

 

His army service record appears not to have survived, but I am particularly interested in the circumstances of his death and any other information that might be available.

 

Many thanks if you can help.

 

 

 

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Hi,

 

Genealogy stuff that I think fits:

KIA 1918 age 30, implies born c1888

CWGC shows "Son of Mr. and Mrs. Jones, of 3, Moore's Buildings, George Square, Hoxton, London"

Soldiers' Effects names his mother as Alice

At 3/4 Moore's Buildings in 1911 census - Alice + Thomas Jones (shoe maker - married 37 years) + 3 of 4 children still living. Alfred isn't shown

In the 1901 census at 23  Moore's Buildings - Alice + Thomas (slipper maker) + 4 children, including an Alfred (age 11, born in Bethnal Green).

19.12.1889 baptism of an Alfred Jones (born 01.12.1889) at Holy Trinity, Bethnal Green. Parents Alice + Thomas (slipper maker)

Possible 1874 marriage for Thomas and Alice.

 

He has a surviving soldiers' will

The war diary for the 1st Middlesex Regiment is here

His British War & Medal Roll record indicates "1st Middx attchd to R.E. Coy", followed by "1st Middx"

 

Regards

Chris

 

EDIT:

It looks like he is in India on the 1911 census

 

 

Edited by clk
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His service papers are on FindmyPast - http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f007408753%2f00967&parentid=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f7408753%2f42%2f967&highlights=""

 

Enlisted 3/1/1907, an 18 year old general labourer born Bethnal Green.

 

(Father Thomas, mother Alice, as above). 3 Moores Buildings, George Square, Hoxton.

 

Edited by IPT
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Many thanks indeed for these two very helpful relies. Do you know if his service record is available on Ancestry? I don't have full membership - but couldn't find anything at all.

 

Also does anyone have access to the 1/Middlesex War Diary for August 1918?

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Hi,

 

There are some genealogy discounts available through this website. Alternatively I understand that local libraries may offer free access to Ancestry/FMP.

 

His service file is here on Ancestry, and the 1/Middlesex diary for August 1918 starts here.

 

Regards

Chris

Edited by clk
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Many thanks, Chris! Have now downloaded the service file - don't know why I was unable to find it when I searched, presumably 'user-error'!

 

However, I'm not able to access the War Diary on my membership; do you know what was happening at the time of his death by any chance?

 

Kind regards,

 

Peter

Edited by verdun
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1st Middlesex seemed to be near Ypres at the time of Alfred's death. There is ref to Brandhoek which is 6 miles from Ypres. This is nowhere near where he is buried; many kilometres to the South in the Pas-de-Calais. My assumption is that at the time of death he was not with the 1st Mx. The end of the month in 1st Mx diary says casualties for Aug were 10 other ranks wounded only. 

A clue may be in his papers. Army Form B103 has him permanently attached to RE Coys from 20/1/17. The notification I think reads from "O.C 1st Div". On the same form he is granted leave from 56th Infantry Brigade from 18/2-4/3/18. 

The notification of his death on that form seems to ditto the 56 Inf Bde. The 1st Middlesex were in the 98th Bde in the 33rd Div.

So all the logic: burial, extant records etc seem to indicate we need to find the whereabouts of 56 Inf Bde rather than 1 Mx to determine any possible details of his demise. I fear looking at the 1st Mx diary maybe a bit of a herring rouge.

If the 56th were in the area where he is buried then that would be fairly convincing evidence to support the theory. Not yet found any details.

I was going to have a Sunday afternoon snooze but this was more interesting

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The following history has the 56th Bde  (19th Division) in operations "North of Bethune". Alfred Jones's final resting place is just south of Bethune. It seems that August 1918 was spent applying pressure on a retreating enemy. It remarks only 120 casualties mostly lightly wounded in the Division. Nothing specific re 14/8/18.

 

http://lib.militaryarchive.co.uk/library/divisional-histories/library/A-Short-History-of-the-19th-Western-Division-1914-1918/HTML/index.asp#/98/

 

I have not found a war diary on line for the 56th Bde.

 

Do the experienced posters on the thread agree with my logic?

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Hi Mark, Yes you're dead right about the RE attachment and I suppose that's what explains it. The Middlesex War Diary wouldn't help at all. Poor old Alfred seems to have gone through everything from Mons and sadly met his end barely three months before the end of the war. I found the parents' chosen epitaph on his headstone very moving and I will cherish his medals. Thanks again for your interest.

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  • Admin

The 56 Brigade war diary is on Ancestry  here

 

The 1/4 SLI diary is here (two SLI soldiers are interred alongside him)

 

and the diaries of 94 Field Coy RE is here and 81 & 82 Field Coy here

 

Unfortunately none help with specific casualties though heavy enemy shelling is noted.

 

Ken 

 

Ancestry is playing up a bit but just click back if you have a problem

Edited by kenf48
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