CHARLES HERBERT JAMES
Fusilier, 7th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers (Service Number: 3956585)
Charles Herbert James was born in Cardiff on 9 Sep 1913, probably at 39 Frederick Street, Temperance Town, to Charles Herbert James, a hotel barman/fish salesman and Susannah James nee Burris, both originally from Cardiff. He joined the army at a young age in 1929, and was a member of the Welsh Regiment, transferring to the Royal Welch Fusiliers in Jun 1940. In 1939 his parents were living at 109 Bedford Street, Roath. On 2 Jul 1942 he married Edna Mollie Troake in Woodville Road Baptist church. Edna gave her details as Private No. 15425 H.M Army (Servant Domestic), and lived with her parents at 27 Bruce Street, Cathays. She had been a member of Woodville Road Baptist church since 1922. At the time of his marriage Charles was living at 13 Northcote Street, Roath. Charles was killed on 17 Jul 1944 aged 33 in France as part of Operation Overlord, the D-day landings. He is buried at the Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery near Cean (grave X. B. 16.). He is remembered on the Woodville Road Baptist church WWII plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
GWYN TOWYN JAMES
Sergeant , 239 Battery, 77th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.
Gwyn James was born in 5th May 1906 in Abertridwr to James Griffith James of Troedyrhiw and Harriet James (née Roberts) of Porth. In 1911 the family lived at 129 Glenroy Street with the father, James, working as a grocer’s manager. Gwyn married Mary Isobel McMaster, a cashier, in 1939 in Cardiff. Gwyn’s father, James, died in 1941 when living at 70 Glenroy Street. Gwyn served in the Royal Artillery (service number 1452857) and died as a prisoner of war in Thailand on 14th December 1943. He is buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery in Thailand. He is remembered on the Albany Road Baptist Church war memorial plaque.
LIONEL RANDOLPH JAMES
Flight Sergeant, 3rd Aircraft Repair Depot, Royal Air Force (Service Number: 16693)
Lionel Randolph James was born on 20 Nov 1884 in Dowlais, Glamorgan to Edward Henry James, a steel work’s accountant originally from Moylegrove, Pembrokeshire and Elizabeth James née Jones, originally from Disserth, Radnorshire. In the 1891 census the James family were living in 12 Morlais Street, Dowlais. Soon after they moved to 24 Stacey Road, Roath and Lionel attended Stacey Road School. In Sep 1894 he moved on to Howard Gardens School. After leaving school in Mar 1896 he worked as a mechanical engineer draughtsman at the steel works. He enlisted in the army on 17 Dec 1915. He later transferred to the RAF on 1 Apr 1918. He died at home of pneumonia whilst on leave on 28 Feb 1919 in Cardiff aged 33. He is buried in Cathays Cemetery (plot J 124B). He is remembered on the Howard Gardens High School War Memorial, the St Margaret’s War Memorial Tower and the St Edward’s War Memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Grave Commission record.
ARTHUR VINCENT JELLINGS
Leading Boatswain, S.S.Lena, Merchant Navy
SS Lena
Arthur Vincent Jellings was born on 6 Feb 1897 in Cardiff to Edwin Jellings, a house builder, originally from Cardiff and Rebecca Eliza Jellings née Collings originally from Newport. In 1901 the family lived at 110 Richmond Road, Roath. By 1904 the family has moved to 58 Connaught Road and Arthur was starting at Marlborough Road Primary School. In 1909 he was admitted to Howard Gardens Secondary School for Boys where he studied for two years. On the 1911 census Arthur and his five brothers and sisters and parents lived at 58 Connaught Road. In 1915 Arthur, aged 19, emigrated to USA and landed in Ellis Island having sailed from Liverpool. His stay in America was brief and he returned and joins the merchant navy. In 1915 he was an Able Seaman aboard the Capstan. He died, presume drowned, aged just 20 on 14 April 1917 when the S.S.Lena was torpedoed by a German u-boat. The S.S.Lena was on a voyage from Huelva in Southern Spain to Bristol with a cargo of government stores and was sunk by the German submarine U-61, southwest of the Scilly Isles. Twenty five people were lost. S.S.Lena was built in 1904 and was a British cargo steamer with a Cardiff owner and weighed of 2,463 tonnes. He is remembered not only on the memorial in St Andrew’s URC church but also on the Tower Hill Memorial for Merchant Seamen in London. His name is missing from the Howard Gardens school war memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
WILLIAM GEORGE JENNINGS
Private, 14th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, (Service Number: 14706)
William George Jennings was born in 1892 in Newport to Joseph Edward Jennings, a boot and shoe repairer, originally from Clifton, Bristol and Mary Ann Jennings née Probert, originally from Pontypool. In 1901 the Jennings family were living at St Woolas Road, Newport and Joseph ‘John’ Jennings was an Inn Keeper at the Prince of Wales Inn. By 1911 the Jennings family had moved to 22 Meteor Street, Adamsdown. William Jennings attended St Alban’s school, Splott. He enlisted in the Gloucestershire Regiment at the out-break of war and was 12 months in the trenches before he was injured and returned to Cardiff and was treated in the military hospital in Splott. In a newspaper article at the time of his recuperation he described the incident in which he sustained a shrapnel bullet wound in his left shoulder. It reads: “We were all on the alert at daylight, eagerly awaiting for the word to advance, but we did not move until sometime after daylight. We were led up to the jumping-off trench and the orders were given ‘ Fix bayonets and get ready!’ Then, I think, hell itself must have been let loose, and we went for the Hun line as fast as it was possible to go. I had a bag of bombs. The air was full of bullets and shrapnel and how any of us got across I cannot understand, but we did, and then the fun started. It would have done you good to see the way our boys fought. We soon had old Fritz fleeing for his life, with all the fight taken out of him. We captured hundreds of prisoners, and dug ourselves in until we were relieved.” He must have returned to the Western Front after recovering for he was killed in action on 5 June 1917 aged 24. He is buried at the Heudicourt Communal Cemetery Extension in France (grave B7). Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
JAMES FRANCIS JOHNSON
Private, 11th Battalion, Welsh Regiment (Service Number: 203387)
James Francis ‘Frank’ Johnson was born on 22 May 1880 in Cardiff to Martin Johnson, a mariner and water clerk, originally from Norway, and Jane Johnson née Elsworth, originally from Tallow, County Waterford, Ireland. He was baptised in St John the Baptist church on 4 Jul 1880. In 1881 and 1891 the Johnson family lived at South London Place in the Docks. By 1901 the Johnson family had moved to 14 Pen-y-Peel Road, Canton and Frank was working as a shipowner’s clerk. In 1909 he married Angelina Charlotte Castelli, originally from Cork, Ireland. They lived at 11 Waterloo Road, Pen-y-lan and went on to have three daughters; Ester, Maud and Angela (baptised at St Margaret’s church). In WWI Frank Johnson served with the 11th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. He died of influenza following wounds on 12 Jan 1919, aged 38, in Salonika, Greece. He is buried at Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery (plot 625). He is remembered on the St Margaret War Memorial Tower and the St Edward War memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
ALFRED POOLE JONES
Private, 1st/24th Battalion, London Regiment (Service Number: 2214)
Alfred Poole Jones (known as Alf) was born on 4 Nov 1890 in Cardiff to Arthur Daniel Jones, a painter and decorator, and Elizabeth Annie Jones née Lewis, both originally from Cardiff. Alf’s father died in 1892 and Annie remarried Edward Newton Patterson, a corn merchant, originally from Scotland, in 1898. The family lived at 55 Column Road. Alfred attended Crwys Road school and then Gladstone school where his school record states he had also previously attended Albany Road school and after Gladstone went on to Cardiff Higher Grade school (though he is not remembered on their war memorial plaque). By 1911 the Patterson family had moved to Barry. Alfred worked in the milling and flour trade first on the Isle of Wight and then in London. He enlisted with the 24th Battalion of the London Regiment on 6 Aug 1914 and left for France on 8 Mar 1915. He was killed in action on 26 May 1915 aged 24 at Givenchy, France when attacking German trenches. A comrade wrote ‘when Alf fell I ran down the slope to see what I could do for him. He was lying on his back at the bottom. He said he was hit in the stomach, but would not let me attend to him. “Never mind about me, get on with the firing lad” he said, and I had to, as our line was very thin then’. This was the same action in which Lance Corporal Keyworth of the 23rd London Regiment won the Victoria Cross and other soldiers were decorated. Alf was described as a keen footballer who played for his regiment on many occasions. His burial place has not been identified and he is remembered on the Le Touret Memorial, France (Panels 46 & 47). He was also remembered on his father’s headstone at Cathays Cemetery but that is thought not to have survived time. Alf’s half-brother Edward Patterson also fell in WWI and both are remembered on the Bethany Baptist church war memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
DAN LLEWELLYN JONES
Second Lieutenant, 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment
Dan Llewellyn Jones was born in Penarth on 26 Nov 1891, the youngest son of John Price Jones, a well-known local architect, and Mary Elizabeth Jones née Stowe both originally from Cardiff. His father died in 1893 when Llewellyn was only 2 years old. The family later moved to 66 Cathedral Road, Pontcanna. He was the brother of Major Percy Lewis Jones MC and Bar (19th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery) and Staff Captain George Howard Jones MC (2nd Battalion Welsh Regiment). Another brother Ivor Price Jones was a Cardiff architect and played rugby for Cardiff. Dan Llewellyn attended Cardiff High School from 1903 and was serving his accountancy articles with Emerson Davies Brothers in Cardiff when war broke out. He was commissioned early in 1915 into the 12th (Reserve) Battalion Welsh Regiment and trained at Barry and Kinmel Park, near Abergele. He went out to the Western Front on 6 Oct 1915, serving in the 9th Battalion Welsh Regiment who spent the winter of 1915-16 in trenches and reserve in the Neuve Chapelle and Laventie areas. Second Lieutenant Dan Llewellyn Jones was wounded on 13 Mar 1916 and he died of wounds on 14 Mar 1916. He was 24. He is buried in Merville Communal Cemetery (VII.A.9), France. On the day before his mother had received the news of Dan Llewellyn’s death, she had been informed that his older brother George had been awarded the Military Cross. He may be remembered on the Cardiff High School memorial and possibly the Bethany Baptist church war memorial plaque as David Llewellyn Jones. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
DAVID AERON JONES
Lance Corporal 1st Reserve Brigade, South Africa Forces (Service Number 119075)
David Aeron Jones was born in 1898 in Llandyfodwg, north of Bridgend to Thomas William Jones, a draper, originally from Pencarreg, Carmarthenshire and Serviah Jones née Williams, also a draper, from Llangyfelach. David served as a Private (Service Number 91492) with the Royal Tank Corps in WWI. In 1921 he is on board the S.S. Commonwealth bound for Australia giving his address as ‘The Bonanza’, Church Street, Ebbw Vale and occupation as draper. His father Thomas dies a year later. in the 1939 Register his mother Serviah is living at 42 Shirley Road, Roath Park. David once again joins up and serves as a Lance Corporal in the 1st Reserve Brigade, South Africa Forces. He is killed in action on 6th Jan 1942 aged 44. He is buried at the Cape Town (Maitland) Cemetery. He is remembered on the war memorial plaque in Roath Park Congregational church. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
DAVID JOHN JONES
Lance Corporal, 10th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders (Service Number: S/7063)
David John Jones was born in Cardiff on 26 Aug 1893 to William Jones, a grocer’s commercial traveller, originally from Carmarthen, and Alice Jones née Richards, originally from South Petherton, Somerset. In 1901 the family were living at 18 Dogfield Street, Cathays, and David attended Gladstone School having previously attended Roath Park School. In 1911 the Jones family had moved to 19 Alma Road, Roath and David, then aged 17, was working as a clerk at a drapers. He enlisted with the Gordon Highlanders in Edinburgh on 9 Nov 1914 and was posted a few days later on 14 Nov 1914. It is not clear why he enlisted in Edinburgh but his military enlistment papers state ‘a smart lad of good class, who is keen to join with several companions’. He was promoted Lance Corporal on 18 Jul 1915. He was reported missing on 25 Sep 1915 in the early days of the Battle of Loos. He body was not recovered. He was aged 22. He is remembered on the Loos Memorial (Panel 115 to 119). Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
HENRY DAVIES JONES
Sergeant, M.T. Mob. and Embarkation Area, Army Service Corps (Service Number: DM2/155516)
Henry ‘Harry’ Davies Jones was born in Ealing, London on 2 Oct 1892 to Thomas Davies Jones, a draper, originally from Llanidlois, Montgomeryshire and Helena Susanna Jones née Cole originally from Chawleigh, Devon. The family moved to Roath when Harry was young, living at 4 Morlais Street, Roath Park. Harry attended Marlborough Road School before going on to Howard Gardens school. After leaving school he worked in a solicitor’s office and the Jones family lived at 222 Mackintosh Place. He was a Sergeant in the Army Service Corps. Harry died of pneumonia on 31 Oct 1918, aged 26, at Fargo Military Hospital, Salisbury Plain. He is buried in the family grave at Cathays Cemetery (plot L 2222). He is remembered on the Howard Gardens school memorial plaque and the WWI memorial plaque that used to be at St James the Great church, now at St John’s church. He was also remembered at a personalised plaque at St James the Great church which read that it was ‘given as a token of the affectionate esteem in which the late Sergeant Henry Davies Jones was held by the Officers Non-Commissioned Officers And Men of the Mechanical Transport Royal Army Service Corps and Members of the Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps, Bulford Camp, Salisbury Plain’. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
Henry Davies Jones memorial plaque from St James church
JAMES HAROLD JONES
Air Mechanic, Depot, Royal Flying Corps (Service Number: 65778)
James Harold Jones was born on 6 Aug 1891 in Cardiff to James William Jones, a brewer, originally from Cardiff and Hannah Jones née Rees, also originally from Cardiff. James’s mother died when he was young and in 1901 he was living at 134 Newport Road with his grandmother, father and aunt but later that year his father also died. James attended Cardiff High School for Boys and in 1911 was living with his aunt and uncle at 29 Mafeking Road and working as an apprentice at a Motor Works. On 17 Apr 1914 he married Alice Elizabeth Williams at St Margaret’s church giving his occupation at the time as an electrician. They went on to live at 79 Canada Road, Gabalfa. James served as an Air Mechanic with the Royal Flying Corps. He died on 16 May 1917 aged 25 at Aldershot Military Isolation Hospital. His body was returned to Cardiff and buried at Cathays Cemetery on 22 May 1917 (plot J. CE. 1206). He is remembered on the St Margaret’s War Memorial tower and the St Edward’s War Memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
MILLARD FILLMORE JONES
Millard Fillmore Jones (standing) and his brother William
Private, 3rd Battalion, Welsh Regiment (Service Number 19014)
Millard Fillmore ‘Phil’ Jones was born on 20th June 1892 in Cardiff to William Jones, a ship’s donkeyman (engineer) and Maria Jones, née James, originally from Merthyr. In his early years he lived at 34 Pontypridd Street. He was baptised at St Saviour’s on April 25th 1898 on the same day as his brother William and sister Gladys. By 1911 the family are living at 74 Adeline Street, Splott and Phil is working as a coal haulier. Later that year he is working as a porter on the railways. He served in the 3rd Welsh Regiment. He died on 17th December 1916 aged 24. He is recorded in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. He is buried at Cathays Cemetery (grave I 471). The grave records that he died at Kinmel Park which was a large military camp near Abergele, north Wales. Records show that he died of a brain hemorrhage. He may have been transferred there after being injured elsewhere. The grave also records he was part of the B.E.F. The British Expeditionary Force fought on the Western Front in France in WWI. The family have pieced together the history
WILLIAM ARTHUR JONES
Flight Lieutenant, 100 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Service Number: 124510)
William Arthur Jones was born in Cardiff in 1918 to Arthur Edwin Jones, a gentleman’s hairdresser, and Ethel Mary Jones nee Richards, both originally from Cardiff. The Jones family lived at 29 Mervyn Road, Whitchurch. On 25 Mar 1943 he married Margaret Wynne Jones, a typist at the Ministry of Labour, at Woodville Road Baptist church. Margaret was the youngest daughter of the minister Rev W Rowland Jones who was minister at Woodville Road Baptist church from 1933 to 1953. William Arthur Jones details his profession on his wedding certificate as Flight Lieutenant No 1385102 Royal Air Force, Police Constable (Metropolitan Police). He died less than a month after getting married, on 21 Apr, aged 24. He was killed along with six crew members when Lancaster ED557 crashed in Store Bælt, off the coast of Denmark, after being hit by flak. It was returning from a bombing raid over Germany having taken off from Grimsby airfield at 21.27 the previous night. He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey (panel 119). He was also remembered on the Woodville Road Baptist Church WWII plaque. According to his probate he lived with his in-laws at 19 Tydfil Pace, Roath Park. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
JOHN ALLEN JOSHUA
Private, 8th Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry (Service Number: 19791)
John Allen Joshua was born in Cardiff on 25 Aug 1883 to Philip Joshua, a shoemaker, originally from Pontypool and Martha Susan Joshua née Thomas, originally from Merthyr. He grew up at 38 Ruby Street, Adamsdown and went to Stacey Road School. After leaving school became a dock labourer. He enlisted with the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry in Cardiff and was mobilised about 25th-29th Jan 1916. He was baptised as an adult on 19 Feb 1916 at Bush Camp, Pembroke Dock. He landed in France from about May 1916 onwards and posted to Greece. He was attached to 66th Trench Mortar Battery. He died on wounds on 16 April 1918 aged 34 at the 67th Field Ambulance station. He is buried in Karasouli Military Cemetery, Greece (plot A.101) having originally been buried in Caussica Military Cemetery (plot 2.C.3.), on North side of Lake Ardzan. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
WILLIAM FREDERICK JUDD
Lance Corporal, 1010 Docks Operating Company, Royal Engineers (Service Number 2012192)
William Frederick Judd was born on 8 Jun 1915 in Milford Street, Splott to Mark Herbert Judd, a dock transport worker, originally from Cardiff and Edith Gladys Judd née Rees, also originally from Cardiff. Shortly after William was born his father enlists and spends three years in the Welsh Guards in WWI. The Judd family later move to Llanelly Street and after leaving school William worked as a wharf labourer in Cardiff docks. In 1938 he marries Eileen O’Donaghue, a cushion machinist, from Tremorfa. In 1939 they are living at 259 Portmanmoor Road. He joined the army in 1940 and served as a Lance Corporal with the Royal Engineers. He died on 17 Jun 1943, aged 28, believed drowned. He was aboard the S.S.Yoma in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya when it was torpedoed by a German submarine. She was carrying troops back from Algeria to Alexandria, Egypt, many of them Royal Engineers who were to assist with port facilities for the Sicily invasion. The S.S.Yoma was hit by two torpedoes and went down in under 5 minutes. Sources vary but it seems that 451 troops were lost together with 29 crew. William Judd’s body was not recovered. He is remembered on the 1939-1945 memorial in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey (Panel 5, Column 2). Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
Roath Local History Society 