Inm - Jon

Private 19311 Horace C INMAN

Unit/Regiment	2nd Bn, Coldstream Guards
Date of Death	24/09/1917		Age at Death		31
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Bleuet Farm Cemetery I E 46
Census Details	1901 Census - The Inman family lived in Bradford, Yorkshire. Father Samuel (47), mother Clara (46) and children Horace (14) and Harold (7)
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth registered Q3/1886, Bradford, Vol 9b, Page 101 Marriage registered in Warrington in Q4/1909, Vol 8c, Page 186
SDGW – Where Born	Bradford, Yorks	Enlisted		Liverpool	Resided	Prescot, Lancs
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes	Number suggests he probably joined up in December 1915
Research Ref. No.	P164

Service Details

Horace Inman was the landlord of the Deanes House Hotel. He attested for Military service on 29th October 1915 and was later mobilized on 4th October 1916, being posted to the Guards depot at Caterham the following day. After training, he was sent overseas to France on 26th May 1917.

The 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards, was based in and around the Ypres Salient in September 1917. This was the time of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as Passchendaele. The War Diary records that after a spell in the line at Elverdinghe, on the 12th September they paraded at 3:00 p.m. then marched via Marguerita Farm and the De Wippe cross roads to Dublin Camp, arriving there around 4:30 p.m.

They remained in the camp, undergoing training, until the 20th September. On that date, they paraded at 7:30 a.m. then marched to Plurenden Camp, arriving about noon. They spent the next day or so training then at 12:45 p.m. on the 22nd, they paraded then marched to Proven, where they entrained for Elverdinghe. On arrival, they marched to Cambridge Camp, located near to Bleuet Farm. The next day was uneventful but on the 24th, the Diary records that they suffered 11 Other Ranks killed and a futher 11 wounded. No details of the reasons are given, but it is likely that they were victims of German artillery. Horace Inman was one of those who died.

The Parish Magazine of 25th October 1917 reported “Pte. Horace Inman, 31, Coldstream Guards. Killed in Flanders 24th September 1917, and leaves a widow and two children. Mr. Inman had not long been resident in Prescot but the quiet and courteous manner in which he conducted the Deanes House Hotel has been much appreciated in the town. Mrs. Inman will continue to manage the hotel with the help of her brother.”

Pte. Inman’s death listed in the London Times of 24^th October 1917

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Private Inman’s Medal Index Card listing his entitlement to the British War Medal and Victory Medal

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The reverse of the Medal Index Card. The message reads “O.C. (Officer Commanding) Coldstream Guards applies for instr, re disp. Of medals” and is dated 16/11/1921. This suggests that at the time, the regiment did not have any information regarding the address of Horace Inman’s next of kin. It is now know whether the medals were subsequently issued, or who to.

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Private (Guardsman) Inman’s grave at Bleuet Cemetery

Private 2141 Richard Walter JAMES

Unit/Regiment	1st/5th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment
Date of Death	02/08/1916		Age at Death		33
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Dive Copse British Cemetery II D 31
Census Details	1901 Census - Richard was living with his parents Richard (51, a labourer) and Annie (50), at 25, William Street, Prescot. He had 2 brothers, Thomas (20), and Isaac (12), and a sister Caroline (8).
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q2/1883, Prescot, 8b, 782
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		St Helens, Lancs	Resided
How Died	Died of Wounds			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes
Research Ref. No.	P165

Service Details

The 5^th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment, had just started its annual training in camp when war broke out in August 1914. It was sent to Edinburgh until October, then moved to Tunbridge Wells until February 1915. It was then ordered to France, sailing on the 13^th aboard s.s. King Edward., arriving at Le Havre the same day.

Throughout May of 1915, the battalion was involved in heavy engagements with the Germans in the Ypres Salient. After 25^th May, there were no more serious offensive actions from either side as all parties were exhausted. The battalion were billeted at Forceville in mid-Jul to early August, when it moved to trenches in the Auchonvillers section. They remained there, with rest billets at Maillly-Maillet, until 29^th October when they retired to Bertencourt for training and work party assignment. The casualties suffered in this period were a result of the intermittent artillery and mortar fire, as well as constant sniping.

This period of relative inactivity continued through the Spring of 1916.

The Regimental history does not record details of any significant actions around the time of Private James’ death. Although the Battle of the Somme had commenced on 1^st July, the battalion, part of 55^th Division, was only engaged with active patrolling and sniping. On 22^nd July, they received orders to move south and on the 25^th, they arrived at billets inn Ville-sous-Corbie, where they remained until 8^th August.

The Battalion War Diary for the date of Pte. James’ death is reproduced below.

August 1	Moved forward from MANSEL COPSE F16b F17a to reserve trenches at OXFORD COPSE A14 A15 (Sheet 62c NW 1/20000)
August 2 8am	Valley shelled by 8” Howitzers for 15 minutes and again at 2pm. Casualties 15 Killed 17 Wounded.

Private James rests in Dive Copse British Cemetery. The area just north of the cemetery was chosen prior to the Battle of the Somme for a concentration of Field Ambulances, and it seems likely that Private James died at one of those. The fact that he died at a Field Ambulance suggests that his death came within a short time of being wounded.

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Private James’ Medal Index Card listing his entitlement to the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal

Private 13162 Walter JAUNDRILL

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Prescot Reporter 01/09/1916

Unit/Regiment	17th Bn., King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death	03/07/1916		Age at Death		35
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 1D 8B and 8C
Census Details	1891 Census - Living at 56 Sewell Street, Prescot, were John Jaundrill, a 53 year old coal miner, his wife Ann (49), and children William (20), Martha (18), John (13) and Walter (10) 1901 Census – Head of household John is by now aged 62 and is a labourer at the Wire Factory. His wife Ann is 59 and children John, 23, is a Stationary Shunter, Walter (20) is a Coalminer – Drawer and Annie is aged 13.
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q4/1880, Prescot, 8b, 625 Marriage to Annie Lloyd, Q4/1907, Prescot, Volume 8b, Page 1100 Children identified – Ann (Q4/1911) and Walter (Q4/1913)
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Seaforth, Lancs.	Resided	Prescot, Lancs
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes	Some sources have the surname spelt as “Jaundrell”
Research Ref. No.	P166

Service Details

Walter Jaundrill enlisted on 24^th August 1914, initially serving with 11^th Battalion of the regiment. He embarked for France on 19^th May 1915 and then transferred to the 17^th Battalion on 11^th June 1916.

The 17^th Battalion’s Casualty Ledger accepts him as being killed in action, with death occurring on or since 29^th July 1916.

The 11^th battalion held the distinction of being the fist of the New Army battalions raised by Lord Kitchener. It came into being at Seaforth on 23^rd August 1914. Training commenced at Barossa Barracks, Aldershot and then on 28^th November they moved to Farnham. On 11^th January 1915, the battalion was redesignated as a Pioneer battalion and became 11^th Battalion, King’s Regiment (Pioneers), the first of many pioneer battalions formed during the war. As well as their ordinary infantry training, the Pioneers now underwent a course of bridge-building, mine digging, road making and trench construction.

On 20^th March 1915, they moved to Watts Common, Farnborough where they remained unto 19^th May, when they entrained for Folkstone, crossing to Boulogne on 19^th, arriving the following day.

On 25^th, they received orders to proceed to Vlamertinghe for attachment to the second army. At 6.15 on the 26^th, they travelled in 45 London omnibuses, marching the final stage to the chateau at 9.15 a.m. They were immediately sent off to the Yser Canal strengthening existing defences and making communications and support trenches. Here they had their first casualties, four men being wounded by enemy shrapnel bursting overhead.

The battalion continued with their Pioneer work throughout the remainder of 1915 and in Spring 1916, mainly located in the Ypres Salient.

On 11^th June 1916, Private Jaundrill transferred to the 17^th Battalion.

This battalion returned to front line trench duty on the night of 17^th/18^th June at Maricourt. By this time, the planning and preparations for the Somme offensive were well underway. On 24^th June, the preliminary bombardment commenced, and it was two days before the Germans started to become active in returning the fire. By the end of June, the battalion reported 17 other ranks killed and 57 wounded, all of these will have been as a result of the German response to the bombardment.

As part of the Somme offensive, the 17^th battalion were responsible for the capture of Montauban (popularly known to the troops as “Montybong”). Under the command of Lt. Col. B. C. Fairfax, they moved up to their assembly trenches by 3.30 a.m. on the morning of 1^st July, these being on a frontage of the Maricourt-Briquerie road. A French battalion was on their right and the 20^th (King’s) was on their left. The German lines were between 200 and 400 yards ahead.

The attack commenced at 7.30 with a swarm of men going “over the top”. It is worthy of note that this was the first time that the new steel helmets had been worn. The battalion advanced quickly across “No Mans Land” with very little resistance and they quickly took their first objective, known as “Dublin Trench” by 8.30, the allotted time, and then dug in. The battalion suffered casualties of 3 officers wounded and 100 other ranks killed and wounded.

The 17^th Battalion spent the remainder of the 1^st July, and the whole of 2^nd July, in consolidating their captured Dublin and Casement trenches, with two companies of the battalion in each, and in digging a communications trench between them.

The battalion also reported the 3rd July as a “quiet day”, although German shelling continued. It will have been in this shelling that Private Jaundrill was killed. His body was never identified and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Parish Magazine of 28^th June 1917 reported “The following are deaths in action, all in France or Belgium” and included “Pte. Walter Jaundrill, 35, of Sewell Street, the King’s Liverpool’s. Killed 30^th July 1916. He left a widow and 3 children.”

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Prescot Reporter 14^th September 1917

Walter Jaundrill’s Medal Index Card.

Lance Corporal 33322 Arthur William JOHNSON

Unit/Regiment	2nd Bn, Border Regiment
Date of Death	26/10/1917		Age at Death		32
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 85 to 86
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Son of William Johnson, of Yalding Cottage, Knowsley, Prescot; husband of Catherine O. Johnson, of 17, Station Rd., Prescot, Lancs.
Census Details	1901 Census - William Johnson (42) and his wife Caroline (41), lived at Tithebarn Road, Knowsley, with their children Ethel Margaret (16), Arthur William (15), Stanley (10) and Herbert (8).
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth registered Q1/1886, Prescot, Vol 8b, Page 699 Arthur married Catherine O Lown in Q3/1913 at Prescot, Vol 8b, Page 1489
SDGW – Where Born	Liverpool	Enlisted		Liverpool	Resided
How Died	Killed in Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes	Formerly 41898, Liverpool Regt.
Research Ref. No.	P167

Research ongoing

Arthur Johnson’s Medal Index Card listing his entitlement to the British War Medal and Victory Medal

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Arthur Johnson’s inscription on the Tyne Cot memorial

Sapper 6768 Benjamin Leo JONES

Unit/Regiment	2nd WL Fld Coy RE, Corps of Royal Engineers
Date of Death	20/11/1914		Age at Death		26
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Widnes Cemetery VII R 2076
Census Details	1901 Census – The Jones family lived at 17, Eleanor Street, Widnes. The family comprised Squire Jones (51, a Boiler Maker), his wife Maria (54) and their children Thomas (21), Mary (20), Annie (18), John (16), Ben (13), Lizzie (11), Maria (9), Aaron (7) and Emma (5).
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q3/1888, Prescot, 8b, 617
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Widnes, Lancs	Resided
How Died	Died			Theatre of War	Home
Notes	It seems likely that the family always lived in Widnes, not Prescot. Widnes was part of the Prescot registration district at the time. The children are shown on the census as being born in Widnes, not Prescot.
Research Ref. No.	P169

Service details

Benjamin Leo Jones, a 26 year old Pipe Fitter, signed up for military service on 31st August 1914 in Widnes. He had previously served with the Territorial Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment but now joined the Royal Engineers.

His next of kin was listed as his father, Squire Jones, living in Liverpool. Benjamin stood just over 5 foot 8 inches and was described as having a "sallow" complexion, "Grey" eyes and his hair was described as "Fair to Dark".

His records show that he was admitted to Provident Hospital in St Helens on 13th November 1914 but was discharged 4 days later. He was suffering from nephritis, a kidney complaint. The next entry in his records show that he died from this same condition on 20th November 1914.

After his death, the Army Records office advised his unit to send any of his effects to Mr S Jones, Larch Lea, Liverpool.

Some time later, his father was asked to list his surviving family members in order that the ownership of his plaque and any medals could be determined. The form returned noted that his father, Mr S. Jones, had passed away on 6th September 1918, leaving Benjamin's mother, Maria, as his next of kin. She lived at 6, Millard Grove, Larch Lea, Liverpool. The form also records his brother John and sisters Betty, Margaret and Emily as living at the same address,

Benjamin did not see any overseas service.

Private 21732 John JONES

Unit/Regiment	16th Bn., Cheshire Regiment
Date of Death	08/09/1916		Age at Death		25
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension I E 22
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Son of Joseph and Mary Elizabeth Jones, of 228, Warrington Rd., Abram, Platt Bridge, Wigan, Lancs.
Census Details
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Warrington, Lancs	Resided
How Died	Died of Wounds			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes
Research Ref. No.	P170

Resarch ongoing

John Jones Medal Index Card

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The reverse of Private Jones’s card shows that an application for his medals was received in August 1919 from his father living at Caroline Street in Wigan

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John Jones grave at Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension

Private 355815 Oliver JONES

Unit/Regiment	25th Bn., Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Date of Death	30/11/1917		Age at Death		31
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Jerusalem Memorial Panels 20 to 22
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Son of Theofilus Jones, of Mostyn Rd., Greenfield, Holywell, Flints
Census Details	1891 Census - Oliver Jones was aged 4 and was staying at Ty Gwyn, Mostyn Road, Holywell. This was the home of his aunt, Emma Williams. His parents are not shown
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q4/1886, Prescot, 8b, 693
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Newtown, Montgomery	Resided	Holywell, Flint
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	Egypt
Notes
Research Ref. No.	P171

Service Details

Oliver Jones was born in Prescot in 1886, the son of Theophilius Jones. At the time of the 1891 Census, Theophilis was living at 32, Kemble Street, Prescot (the Wellington Hotel). He was a 35 year old Coal Miner and was married, although there are no family members living at the hotel.

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Private Jones’s Medal Index Card. It shows that his initial service was in the Balkans (Gallipoli) where he arrived on 8^th October 1915, serving as Private 1065 with the Welsh Horse before his transfer to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

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The panel of the Jerusalem War Memorial dedicated to the men of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers who fell there and have no known grave and showing Oliver Jones at the bottom.

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