There is some confusion about this man. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, William Jones was born in 1875 a son of Hugh and Bridget Jones who lived in Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland.
However the Find a Grave website claims he was born on 5 August 1877, at Gurtinard, Listowel, County Kerry, that his father was then an Army Pensioner and that he attended the Royal Hibernian Military School, Phoenix Park, Dublin. The war memorial at the Royal Hibernian Military School shows him as Lance Corporal W. Jones.
The Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website appears to opt for the information given by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
In March 1915 he enlisted as a Private in the Irish Guards, service number 7121 and entered France on 15 September 1915. He was serving in the regiment's 1st Battalion, when he was killed in action, aged 42 years, on 16 March 1917. His body was buried near where he fell but in May 1920 it was exhumed and interred in Plot 1, Row E, Grave 3, in the Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery, D1017, 80360 Sailly-Saillisel, France.
On 28 June 1917 his army effects totalling £3-17s-2d were sent to his widow, Annie Jones, at 32 Brendon Street, Edgware Road, London, W1 and on 10 October 1919 she was sent his £9-0s-0d war gratuity. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'JONES. W. PTE. 1ST. IRISH.GUARDS.' on the Quebec Chapel war memorial at the Church of The Annunciation, Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7AH. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website and on the A Street Near You website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
