Dawlish World War One Project

His parents were Harry and Mercy Jones, living at 3 Baker Street, West Bromwich in 1891.

Harry Jones was a Tar Distiller, born in West Bromwich, who married Mercy Jackson in 1889.

Samuel Jones was born in the April-June quarter of 1890 in West Bromwich and was 10 months old in the following year’s census.

A trail through census and other data suggests that Samuel’s grandparents were Robert and Jane Jones. A marriage record exists for Robert Jones (1832-1908) and Jane Williams (1836- ) in Stoke-Upon-Trent in 1857. They were to have 12 children of which 5 had died by the 1911 census when Jane is shown as a widow, Robert having died in 1908.

Harry Jones was a Tar Distiller when he married Mercy Jackson. They had 8 children of which 2 had died by 1911 when Mercy was a widow. It appears that Harry Jones may have died between 1903 and 1911. Samuel Jones appears with his grandmother, a widow, at 28 Dartmouth Street in 1911. His uncle, William Jones, at the same address is a Tar Distiller also, while Samuel is recorded as a ‘Paper Ruler’ working for printers.

The Royal Army Medical Corps website contains the following information about Samuel Jones’ service. “Samuel entered the war in France on 5 November 1914. He was gassed and, as a consequence, was discharged on 14 August 1916."

Samuel entered the war in France on 5 November 1914. He was gassed and, as a consequence, was discharged on 14 August 1916. He died of gangrene of the left lung, possibly arising from his wounds, and of heart failure. He died at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter, attended by his brother, George. R Jones.

He was attached to the 24th (1/1st Wessex) Field Ambulance.

There is no service record beyond this and there is no information regarding his movements on discharge, nor when he moved to Cofton where he is buried.