Edgar Frederick Jones

A Private Edgar Jones, Regimental No. 9736, served with 3rd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. The 3rd Battalion were much involved in the Vimy Ridge fighting of the spring of 1916. The dominant feature of the fighting was mining and countermining on the slopes of the Ridge, with incessant small attacks and counter-attacks. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission shows this Edgar as having died on 22 May 1916 and been buried in Ecoivres Military Cemetery at Mont St Eloi, north-west of Arras in the Pas de Calais (ref. II C. 13). However, the Worcestershire Regiment Roll of Honour shows that a 42598 Edgar Chas Jones died of wounds 23 September 1916; and that 24188 Edgar Fred Jones died of wounds 24 April 1918 (he was buried in Arleux en Gohelle (Orchard Dump military cemetery, which only opened in April 1917). We cannot be certain which of the three was the Wheatley man.

The 1901 Census has an Edgar Jones, born in Woodford Bridge, Essex in 1890 (the full name on his birth record being given as Edgar Frederick). He was living with his parents in Littleworth. His father was William Jones, a market gardener, born in Dorchester, Oxon., in 1837, and his mother was Maria, born in Hexton, Hertfordshire in 1850. He died of his wounds on 24th April 1918. The record of his death shows that he had been living at Winchcombe in Gloucestershire and that he had been married - in 1913, to Ivy D. Holmes.