Person

Richard was a Jones through and through. Both his parents came from Witton Park. His father, Thomas Jones, was a steel worker and his mother Catherine was called Jones before her marriage. Born in July 1897 in Stockton-on-Tees, Richard had a brother, Evan Thomas, who was ten years older but also born in Stockton. By 1911 the family had moved to Middlesbrough where Richard was still at school. Early in 1912, father Thomas arrived in Canada, settling in Hamilton, Ontario and was joined in November by Richard and his mother. Evan, who had already left home, arrived in the USA at the end of May 1913 visiting his Uncle Evan and hoping to find work.

By March 1916, when he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) in Bartonville, Ontario, Richard was the sole support for his mother. He enlisted as a press hand and became Private 785037 of the 129th (Wentworth) Battalion. This unit embarked for England on 22 August 1916 on board the SS Olympic under the command of Lieutenant Colonel W E S Knowles and, on arrival eight days later, were posted to the camp at Witley in Surrey.

On 5 December 1916 Richard Jones was transferred to the 60th Battalion and before Christmas found himself drafted to France. By 1917 he was in the trenches at Thelus, where the 60th battalion relieved the 52nd Battalion. At the end of April he was one of 508 men of the 60th who, along with their officers, were transferred to the 87th Battalion based in Niagara Camp at Chateau de la Haie. By August they were near Lens at the start of the battle for Hill 70. In the attack on the German front line on 15 August 1917 they found more German forces than expected and suffered many casualties.

A report from the Toronto Star of 10 November 1917 bore the headline “CUT CANADIAN’S THROATS. “Word has been received here that the bodies of the following ten men, who enlisted with the 129th County of Wentworth Battalion, had been found on the Lens front with throats cut”. One of the names listed was that of Richard Jones. All were reported killed or missing at Hill 70 between August 14-16 1917. Seven of the ten men are remembered on the Vimy Memorial, the other three have marked graves.

Civil Parish: Stockton on Tees

Birth date: 23-Jul-1897

Death date: 15-Aug-1917

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 89 Moor Terrace, Stockton-on-Tees (1901 census)
51 Edith Street, Middlesbrough (1911 census)
22 Agnes Street, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (1912 ship’s manifest)
48 Frederick Avenue, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (1916 enlistment papers)

Religion: Church of England

Employment: Press hand (1916 enlistment papers)

Family: Parents: Thomas Jones, Catherine Jones nee Jones
Siblings: Evan T Jones

Military service:

725087
Private
129th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
60th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
87th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force

Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal

Memorial(s): Vimy Memorial, France

Gender: Male

Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham