Name
Ralph Frederick Jones
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/08/1919
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
15776
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WHITSTABLE (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Wesleyan (Bushey & Oxhey Methodist) Church Memorial, Oxhey
Pre War
Born in Hendon in 1894, Ralph Frederick Jones was the son of Charles Edward and Amelia Frederica (nee Morse) Jones. His parents were married on 2 September 1889 at the Wesleyan Chapel, Hampstead, London. Amelia died, aged 63, on 9 March 1931 in Ventnor, Isle of Wight and Charles died, aged 86, in 1945 in the Watford district.
At the 1901 Census, Ralph was six years old and living with his parents and three siblings, Edward, Constance, and Leonard, at 3 Platts Lane, Hampstead, London. The ages of his siblings were 10, 4 and six months respectively, and those of his father and mother were 42 and 33 years old. His father was working as a railway clerk. The birthplaces are given as Bicester in Oxfordshire for his father, Hendon in Middlesex for his mother and for all of the children, apart from Leonard which is Hampstead.
By the time of the 1911 Census, the family had moved to ‘Penarth’, Field Road, Oxhey, Watford. His father was still employed as a railway clerk, his elder brother as a salesman and Ralph as a Cabinet Maker. The two younger children are still at school. The census records that there had been five children, one of whom had died in childhood.
Wartime Service
Ralph enlisted in Watford on 7 September 1914 as Private 15776 with the Bedfordshire Regiment for Short Service (3 years with the Colours). He gave his details as a carpenter and joiner, aged 20 years and 4 months and of Church of England religion. He was recorded as 6’ 1½” tall.
He served at Home until 25 July 1915 when he embarked from Southampton, serving in France until 24 July 1914. He was appointed Lance-Corporal on 1 January 1915, promoted to Corporal on 27 February 1915, and then to Sergeant on 16 July 1915.
Whilst in France he was admitted with bronchitis to No. 5 Casualty Clearing Station on 8 July 1916 with bronchitis and then to the 1st Canadian General Ambulance in Etaples on 20 July 1916, suffering with rheumatism.
He returned to England on H.S. Newhaven on 24 July 1916 and was discharged on 20 March 1917 at Warley, being no longer physically fit for war service due to traumatic neurasthenia resulting from being blown up by a mine in the trenches 8 July 1916 at Montauban, France. He had been unconscious for two days before being found and developed paralysis of the left arm. He was issued with the Silver War Badge on 3 April 1917. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 26 July 1915.
He died on 9 August 1919 and was buried at All Saints Church, Whitstable, Kent. Ralph is remembered with honour at Whitstable (All Saints) Churchyard, Kent and is also commemorated on the memorials at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey and at Bushey & Oxhey Methodist Church.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
