Felix Ernest Jones was born on 27 May 1888, a son of William Jones (1855-1925) and Madeline Mary Jones née Weiss (1857-1914). His birth was registered in the Edmonton registration district, Middlesex (now Greater London). On 4 November 1888 he was baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Stroud Green, where the baptismal register shows the family living at 45 Granville Road, Hornsey and that his father was a solicitor.
The 1891 census confirms that he was still residing at the same address with his parents, his elder brother William Harold Jones (1887-1954), together with a nurse and a female general domestic servant. His father continued to be described as a solicitor.
When the 1901 census was taken he was shown as living at 24 Sunnyside Road, Tollington, Islington, with his parents, his two siblings: William Harold Jones and Gerald Francis Jones (1893-1980). His father was still a solicitor and he was educated at Sir Roger Cholmeley’s School at Highgate, North Road, London, N6.
He was described as a solicitor's articled clerk and was still listed in the ten roomed property at 24 Sunnyside Road with his parents in the 1911 census, together with his two siblings: William Harold Jones who was shown as an architect and Gerald Francis Jones, an estate agents clerk, together with a cook and a housemaid.
The 1915 edition of the Post Office London Directory lists him as a solicitor at 37 Norfolk Street, Strand, WC.
In June 1915 he joined the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps and in December 1915 he obtained a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 4th (Territorial) Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He entered France on 27 March 1916 and whilst serving with the British Expeditionary Force was awarded the Military Cross. The citation in the London Gazette dated 22 September 1916 reads 'for conspicuous gallantry in action, though wounded in the leg he led his platoon in a charge into the enemy's trench which was successfully captured before he would go back and have his wound dressed'.
He was killed in action, aged 29 years, on 16 August 1917 near Ypres (now called Ieper), Belgium, and as he has no known grave he is commemorated on Stone 96A at the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, Vijfwegestraat, 8980 Zonnebeke, Belgium. Probate was granted to his father on 22 January 1918 and his effects totalled £122-11s-6d.
On 3 February 1922 his father applied for his posthumously awarded British War Medal 1914-1918 and Victory Medal. These were sent in April 1922 to White Lodge, 33 Holden Road, Woodside Park, London, N12, but incorrectly showed his rank as Second Lieutenant. His father returned them to the Medal Office on 12 April 1922 for amendment of rank to Lieutenant and the replacements were sent on 5 May 1922.
He is commemorated as Felix E. Jones, MC on the Highgate Camp memorial and is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
