J W Jones/W Jones

[wmfinch]

Hello All, 

J W Jones (or W Jones) was a Signal Porter at Monmouth Troy Station before going to war.  Would it be remotely possible to identify which Regiment he was in from this photograph (which is the best I can produce) please?  Bit of a long shot I know.  I’m wondering if it is the 1st Battalion Monmouthshire Regt.

With grateful thanks,

Wayne

Edited 22 December , 2021 by wmfinch

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

I'm sure you know in your heart of hearts that the answer is probably 'No'.
The cap badge to me looks like a GS button commandeered into action whilst a proper cap badge was procured.
It certainly doesn't look like Welsh Regiment, South Wales Borderers or RWF.  EDIT - ...or Monmouthshire Regiment.

So we need to try to find him another way.
You say he is 'JW. or W. Jones'?
I presume that's written somewhere?
Do you have any clue as to what the initials stand for?

Was he a casualty of the Great War? - If he died, trying to find him in the CWGC database would be easier than any other search, like Medal Index Cards, medal roll, or just text searches of newspapers. The other possibility is the Monmouthshire Absent Voters' list which survive in Ebbw Vale Archives. This obviously depends on him living in Monmouthshire in the 1918-1922 period.

Edited 22 December , 2021 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

[Neil 2242]

Assuming he was (1) a casualty and (2) lived in or at least had a big connection to Monmouth, here's a possibility from the Monmouth WW1 War Memorial:

https://www.militaryimages.net/media/monmouth-war-memorial-ww1.97292/

Apparently Cheshire Regt, but they're also drawing a blank on a positive ID.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Cap badge doesn't look like Cheshire Regiment to me.
I attach a spreadsheet of all 71 of the J or W Jones casualties from the Cheshire Regiment.

I can't see Monmouth mentioned.

CasualtySearch_22_12_2021_08.csv

[Toontraveller]

I wondered if you have tried the Railway Museum at York they have an extensive Library/ archive.
 

In particular they have GWR magazine published for this period, which would likely report on GWR employee’s who were  killed in WW1 , they are not available on the internet as far as I am aware.

[Toontraveller]

Just checked the Railway Museum internet page and they have a database of 20,000 WW1 Railway men from WW1.

Looks like the same picture and data so wondering I’d that’s where you have taken it from?

 It states he was at Monmouth Troy, Traffic Department a Signal Porter  and reference to the GWR publication date and page number. 
 

Info from the data base entry:-

Magazine reference

Great Western Railway Magazine, August 1918, p123. Photo, September 1918, p136

Information source

St Paul's Cathedral Order of Service 1919; Great Western Railway Magazine (image and research contributed by STEAM: Museum of the Great Western Railway)

[Toontraveller]

Still a best guess scenario but In narrowing the time frame down to killed / died 1918, as he was reported in GWR Magazine in August 1918 with his photograph  published in September 1918, which may eliminate a lot of the W. Jones Cheshire Regiment on the CWGC list.

I recognise It is clearly difficult to second guess if the W. Jones mentioned in the Monmouth War Memorial are the same person as worked for GWR.  Always tricky with tracking a Jones recorded as living in Wales gives you nightmares! 

The Monmouth Memorial records a W Jones Cheshire Regiment , there are 4 W.Jones from the Cheshire Regiment killed prior to August 1818 when first reporting in GWR Magazine , there is at least one W Jones killed in 1918 who was originally attached to the Welsh Regiment prior to joining Cheshire Regiment.( according to CWGC?) May be worth further exploring the  4 reported killed in 1918 to see what you can turn up?

The local Family  History Group in that area may also have information not published on line, certainly the one I belong to has a lot of information on local soldiers compiled by members.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

@wmfinch

You still haven't said where the JW Initials come from?

[wmfinch]

On 23/12/2021 at 11:14, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

@wmfinch

You still haven't said where the JW Initials come from?

So sorry for the delay, got tested positive and have been preoccupied with family rearrangements for Xmas.  I have to be honest, a friend told me it MIGHT be JW but he may well be wrong.  I found his name and photo on the Fallen Railwaymen website and wanted to research the soldier as Monmouth Troy Station building is now preserved at Winchcombe on the Glos Warks Railway.  As a volunteer, I wanted to supply the facts to the Friends of Winchcombe Station group. Unfortunately, that is all I have to go on and was thinking the small cap badge MAY have been a Monmouthshire Regt one because of his GWR link to Monmouth Troy.  

[wmfinch]

On 22/12/2021 at 22:14, Neil 2242 said:

Assuming he was (1) a casualty and (2) lived in or at least had a big connection to Monmouth, here's a possibility from the Monmouth WW1 War Memorial:

https://www.militaryimages.net/media/monmouth-war-memorial-ww1.97292/

Apparently Cheshire Regt, but they're also drawing a blank on a positive ID.

Hi Neil, really appreciate your interest and apologies for not replying earlier.  Have mild COVID, and have had to spend time rearranging Xmas!  I wonder if he lived in a town or village near Monmouth so I’ll give their memorials a try now you have shown me a link to their web site 👍

[wmfinch]

On 23/12/2021 at 10:57, Toontraveller said:

Still a best guess scenario but In narrowing the time frame down to killed / died 1918, as he was reported in GWR Magazine in August 1918 with his photograph  published in September 1918, which may eliminate a lot of the W. Jones Cheshire Regiment on the CWGC list.

I recognise It is clearly difficult to second guess if the W. Jones mentioned in the Monmouth War Memorial are the same person as worked for GWR.  Always tricky with tracking a Jones recorded as living in Wales gives you nightmares! 

The Monmouth Memorial records a W Jones Cheshire Regiment , there are 4 W.Jones from the Cheshire Regiment killed prior to August 1818 when first reporting in GWR Magazine , there is at least one W Jones killed in 1918 who was originally attached to the Welsh Regiment prior to joining Cheshire Regiment.( according to CWGC?) May be worth further exploring the  4 reported killed in 1918 to see what you can turn up?

The local Family  History Group in that area may also have information not published on line, certainly the one I belong to has a lot of information on local soldiers compiled by members.

So sorry for the delay in replying but I have mild COVID and have had to rearrange Xmas!  I’m trying to find his details as the original Monmouth Troy Station is preserved at Winchcombe on the GWSR and the Friends of Winchcombe Station would be interested in him.  The Editor of the GWSR’s society magazine may well feature him if we can find exact details.  A long shot I know.  I found him on the Fallen Railwaymen website and am now going to try looking at war memorials in surrounding villages and towns.  I really appreciate your interest …. Here’s hoping we can find something more definite 😀

[wmfinch]

Hello All,

I found another possibility on the Royal Engineers Memorial in Monmouth and cross referencing with the CWGC website, I found this soldier.  Please give me your thoughts.

V/R

Wayne

 

[BarbaraG]

Just to clarify details but nothing definite to show link to Monmouth Troy Station.

[Toontraveller]

His CWGC headstone record reveals he was attached to the RE Light Railway Company, so at least a Railway link in relation to 5he above soldier.

[wmfinch]

1 hour ago, Toontraveller said:

His CWGC headstone record reveals he was attached to the RE Light Railway Company, so at least a Railway link in relation to 5he above soldier.

Thank you once again 👍. I know it’s a bit tenuous but hopefully a start 👍

[wmfinch]

1 hour ago, BarbaraG said:

Just to clarify details but nothing definite to show link to Monmouth Troy Station.

Once again, you are a STAR!  Thank you!   Have a great Christmas.  I’m in isolation cos of mild COVID so mines going to be a quiet one ha ha!