John Robert Jones - 56 Division RFA, 281 Brigade, trying to confirm injuries at Arras and his gun crew members.

[Chris11]

John Robert Jones, born 1897 in Woolwich.

 

I am trying to find out a little more about my Grandfather's movements that led up to an incident where his gun was hit and he was the only survivor, recovered 2 days later from the battlefield and ultimately discharged with shell shock. It seems certain that he was at Cambrai, the offensive in Picardy, and the first Battle of Arras, where I deduce his injuries occurred.

 

At this time he was in Royal Field Artillery, 56th division, 281 Brigade, and I am fairly sure he didn't man Howitzer's, so possibly 18 pound guns.

 

He ended up in a hospital near Boulogne on 31st March 1918, after being found (and this is anecdotal) after 2 days on the battlefield. It is possible the person who found him was called Frank Dench, but it is known for sure that the person who found him ran a fishmongers market stall in Woolwich and attended his funeral in 1936.

 

He had this picture of his gun crew, believed to have been taken before Cambrai 3or4 months earlier, and he always carried this in his breast pocket in honour of these men.

 

 

I am interested to know more about these other men, though it is unlikely many had direct descendants, confirm the name of the man who found him alive, and possibly piece together a little about where they were, how the gun got hit, and what happened during those two days on the battlefield.

 

Thanks in advance for anything you can share. 

Chris.

 

[Chris11]

I should add - I would be interested also in any views you have on my conclusion that he received his wounds at Arras. This conclusion is based on the knowledge that the 56th were in this battle, that he was reported injured on 31/3/18 and that anecdotally he had spent two days on the battlefield after the gun was hit. Is there a flaw in my thinking on that?

[ss002d6252]

From CWGC these seem to be the likely candidates for his gun crew

 

Craig

[David Porter]

The War Diary for the Commander Royal Artillery, 56th Division, notes that on March 28, 1918 there were 11 ORs killed, 8 ORs missing and 29 ORs wounded.

As Craig has indicated it seems most were buried at Anzin-St. Aubin British Cemetery. I can add two further in 109 Bty to his list plus others:

 

50780 Serjeant F J HARRISON
III. B. 12.
109/281

 

160608 Gunner EDMUND CHADWICK
IV. B. 14.
109/281

 

76683 Serjeant J C MINSHALL
IV. B. 15.
109/281

 

64728 Bombardier A W JONES
IV. B. 16.
109/281

 

185904 Gunner H HOWELL
IV. B. 17.
109/281

 

18300 Gunner T W HARTILL
IV. B. 18.
109/281

 

118247 Gunner J H WAREING
IV. B. 7.
B/281

 

925370 Gunner S E SLAUGHTER
III. B. 20.
C/280

 

925089 Lance Bombardier F H PHILP
IV. B. 19.
HQ/280

 

2614 Driver D J DAVIES
III. B. 10.
122 Bty or 56 DAC

 

118996 Driver FRED PARSONS
III. B. 11.
122 Bty or 56 DAC

 

There are two casualties each from 280th Brigade RFA and 122 Bty.

122 Bty from 52nd Army Brigade were attached to 56th Division for operations that day.

I would say this evidence puts the almost wiped out gun crew within 109 Bty and John Robert Jones being found 2 days later.

Edited 23 March , 2019 by David Porter

[Chris11]

Many thanks Craig and David.

 

Just one thought, my grandad John Robert Jones was a Bombardier. Would a gun crew have had more than one Bombardier? I have no idea on these matters, but I notice that AW Jones on 109 Battery was also a Bombardier.

 

Any thoughts welcome?

 

Thanks again,

 

Chris.

[Colin W Taylor]

Chris,

 

I had a relative by marriage who served as a Sergeant in 281st Bde RFA but he had departed for a commission before March 1918.  The Bde war diary is quite detailed.  There is a line stating that at 6.20am '109 [Bty] suffer casulaties' - no mention of detail.  The diary also mentions a section of B/281 being put out of action by gas and a direct hit by HE at 4.15am but this is likely not the gun crew in question due to there only being one casualty in the list above from this battery. 

 

Do you know John's service number and have you found any service or pension records to determine his story before his wounding; when he joined the brigade and where he served before.

 

I've looked up the document below on a visit to the Imperial War Museum reading rooms but only for August 1918.  The officer in question may mention more of what occurred that the war diary if you have time to visit:

 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030000393 

 

Regards

 

Colin

[battiscombe]

This looks quite convincing for 109th Battery, a 'regular' 18pdr battery, which had started the war in 23rd Brigade. As the other units of the Brigade were Territorial units, if  J R Jones also has a 'non-Territorial' number his presence in this non-Territorial unit is more likely..the 935xxxx numbers being Territorial numbers, the others in the main RFA/RHA series. I don't think any issue with an additional Bdr.. as often at least 9 Bombardiers in battery I think according to establishment..

[RobertBr]

Chris

 

1. The normal compliment of a 18-Pounder was:

Six gunners, plus three as reserves and to bring up ammunition.
No.1, the sergeant in command of the gun, had his own horse, which in action was taken back with the gun team after unlimbering.
Of nos. 2 to 6, two rode on the gun limber, two on the limber of the first ammunition wagon and one on the body of that wagon. Nos 7 to 9 rode, two on the limber of the second ammunition wagon and one on the wagon itself. No 10, a corporal or bombardier, also had his own horse and stayed with the second wagon.

 

A battery normally had 11 Bombadiers.

2. My Grandfather was Gassed on the 28th March and evacuated to England. The following from his diary will give you an idea of how quickly they could evacuate casualties

 

28th March. Heavy Gas Attack ( I suspect that is when he was wounded ie early morning)

29th March. Hospital

30th March. Etaples (Probable location of the Hospital mentioned above)

31st March. Bound for England, London 6pm

 

He was probably taken to the Casualty Clearing Station at St Katherines (NW of Arras) and then put on a train to the West, probably as walking wounded.

 

During the battle there were 55 Officer and 1433 Other Rank Casualties (Killed & wounded) in the 56th. North of the River Scarpe the 4th Division also suffered heavier casualties, the wounded among them would also have needed evacuation by a similar route. An efficient casualty handling system was an imperative.

 

3. In your photo the men do not have the look of men who have been in the line for a long period. Could this have been taken when they were in training.

 

4. The 281 War Diary records that Bombadier AW Jones was awarded the MM on 31/12/17. (I could not find it in the London Gazette)

 

Bob

[Chris11]

17 hours ago, RobertBr said:

In your photo the men do not have the look of men who have been in the line for a long period. Could this have been taken when they were in training

 

Bob, thanks for the detailed information. It really helps to put things in place in my mind.

 

As for your question, yes this could have been taken anywhere, however as I read it, John Robert Jones has his stripe which makes him Bombardier. He was promoted to Bombardier in Sept 1916 so this dates it well past his training, but possibly before any serious action, perhaps at the inception of 281 Brigade in Jan 1917? However, since he was in France from 1 Sept 1917, in the 281st Brigade, wouldn't we expect him to have seen action at 3rd battle of Ypres and Cambrai (anecdotally it is known he was at Cambrai)? 

 

Please note that Bombardier AW Jones to whom you refer was not the same person, and was in 109 Battery, which we now doubt my grandfather was in anyway.

 

Your grandfather's timeline is similar to mine. In this case:-

28th March attach (assumed this is where he was injured)

Anecdotally two days on the battlefield

31st March reported wounded 

31st March Aubengue Hospital (near Wimereux) - 

5th April Clearing Office.

 

Chris.

[RobertBr]

The 56th (1st London Division) was formed in the Spring of 1916 in France.

 

The divisions RFA was formed in April - May 1916 from 1/1 (280). 1/2 (281), 1/3 (282), 1/4 (283) London Brigades and some other batteries including 109 Bty. There was a period when Batteries/Brigades were being moved arround almost week by week. Then in November a general reorganisation of the Armys Artillery took place increasing the guns per battery foom 4 to 6. This caused 1/4 (283) Bde to be disbanded sharing its guns between other brigades. 1/3 (282) became a AFA Brigade on 20/1/17.

 

If your Grandfather was posted to France on 1 Sept 1917 then its probable he was in training (At Woolwich?) for up to 6 months prior to that date.

 

The 280 and 281 War Diary pages for July, August and September 1917 are missing. I have been working to reconstruct a timeline for the Brigades during that period. For long spells, including during 3rd Ypres, they were undercommand of different divisions. On the 31st August 1917 the 56th Division, including the RFA, were withdrawn from the lines preparatory to a move south (to Arras area). So your Grandfather would have missed Ypres, but would have been on the left flank of the Battle of Cambrai.

 

There is a  book "the Fifty Sixth Division" written by Major CH Dudley Ward which will give you a good overview of the divisions involvment in Cambrai and beyond. (See the "Support the Forum" link at the top)

 

Bob