John William Jeffreys (1876-1962)
Former Attorney-General's grandson from Hampshire served in 1st/6th DLI awarded DSO
John William Jeffreys, the son of John and Florence Hall Jeffreys, was born at Canterton, Lyndhurst, Hampshire on 25 September 1876. He had two brothers and two sisters and went to school at Radley. He was commissioned into the Hampshire Regiment on 25 September 1895 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1897. In May 1898 he was transferred from the Militia as a 2nd lieutenant into the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) and was promoted to lieutenant in 1900. He fought in South Africa during the Boer Wars with the Mounted Infantry, being involved in the relief of Ladysmith and other actions, and was awarded the Queen’s Medal with five clasps and the King’s Medal with two clasps. In 1903 he was promoted to captain and in October 1906 he married Evelyn Katherine Douglas, daughter of Major Gordon Douglas. In 1909 they had a son, Peter John Jeffreys, who later became a brigadier in the DLI. From October 1913 to September 1915, when he was promoted to major, John was adjutant of the 1/6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
On 19 April 1915 he landed in France and served briefly with the 2/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers before being appointed temporary lieutenant-colonel in the 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, which he commanded from 13 September to 20 December 1915 and from 26 April to 25 September 1916. He was mentioned in despatches on 1 January 1916 and later in the month was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). During the following three years he had several appointments as temporary and acting lieutenant-colonel in command of the 8th and 1st/9th Battalions Durham Light Infantry and the 52nd Battalion Royal West Surrey Regiment before being promoted to brevet lieutenant-colonel on 3 June 1919. He was appointed substantive lieutenant-colonel in April 1923 and from 14 February to 6 April 1927 served with the Shanghai Defence Force in command of the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry. On his return to England, he went on half-pay and retired on 9 November 1927. On leaving the army he returned to Hampshire, where his wife, Evelyn, died in 1932. In June 1937 he married Muriel Primrose Shedden (nee Watson) and he died at Canterton, Lyndhurst in 1962.
Birth date: 25-Sep-1876
Death date: 30-Jan-1962
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Landford Lodge, Landford, Wiltshire (1881 census)
St Peter’s College, Radley, Abingdon, Berkshire (1891 census)
45 Egerton Crescent, Brompton, Chelsea, London (London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1906)
12 Cambridge Road, Colchester, Essex (1911 census)
Skere Farm, Canterton, Lyndhurst, Hampshire (1939 Register & England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1962)
Education: St Peter’s College, Radley, Abingdon, Berks.
Family: Father: John Jeffreys
Mother: Florence Hall Jeffreys (nee Atherton) ( Daughter of Hon. Sir William Atherton M.P. , Attorney-General)
Siblings: Arthur Henry, Florence Sophie, Walter Marmaduke & Gwendolen Helen Jeffreys
Wives: Evelyn Katherine Jeffreys (nee Douglas & Muriel Primrose Jeffreys (Formerly Shedden, nee Watson)
Son: Peter John Jeffreys (Later Brigadier 1st & 2nd D.L.I., D.S.O. & Bar)
Military service:
1/6th, 8th & 1/9th Battalions Durham Light Infantry
Lieutenant-Colonel
Medal(s): Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Dispatches
Queen’s South Africa Medal with 5 clasps
King’s South Africa Medal with 2 clasps
1914-1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Gender: Male
Contributed by John Edwards
