Sydney George Ellis Jones was born in 1888, one of the five children of Thomas Jones and Mary Ellen Jones. His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1888 in the Peckham registration district.
In the 1901 census he is shown as aged 13 years, living at 39 Arodene Road, Tulse Hill, London, with his parents, an elder sister Edith May Jones, who was shown as a teacher, together with two female boarders who were listed as relief teachers. His father was described as a carpenter and joiner. He was attending Alleyn's School, Townley Road, Dulwich, London and stayed there as a student until 1902.
On 10 October 1912 he was initiated as a Freemason in the Royal and Loyal Lodge No.2952 that met at the time at Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet Street, London. He is shown on the Freemason's Membership Register as a piano salesman residing in Kensington Park.
In August 1914 he enlisted in the 6th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (City of London Rifles), service number 2035 and entered France on 18 March 1915. On 13 November 1915 he married Alice Elizabeth Larter at St Matthew's Church, Brixton Hill, Brixton, London, where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 27 years, a bachelor and sergeant in the 6th London, living at 57 Arodene Road, Brixton, whilst his wife was described as aged 25 years, a spinster, also residing at 57 Arodene Road.
In 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross for courage and coolness under fire and on 1 January 1917 his service number was changed to 320461. He was made a Warrant Officer Class 2 and served as the Company Sergeant Major in 'B' Company of his regiment.
Confusingly, our Picture Source claims that he was killed at the entrance of his dugout on 28 February 1917. However, all military records show his date of death as 1 March 1917. His body was buried in Plot 7, Row E, Grave 10, in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), Komenseweg, 8902 Ieper, Belgium.
By 16 July 1917 his widow had been sent his army effects totalling £6-2s-10d. She was also sent a further £20-0s-0d on 13 January 1919 and his £18-0s-0d war gratuity on 12 November 1919. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'JONES. S.E. SERG.MAJ.M.C. 6TH.LON.RIFLES.' 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 Alleyn's School War Memorial.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
