William Jones, HMS Monmouth

Able Seaman, 194073, RN, HMS Monmouth, a County Class Armoured Cruiser. Lost, aged 35 (33) on 1 November 1914 when the ship was sunk during the Battle of Coronel off the coast of Chile.

Built in 1901 of 9800 tons HMS Monmouth was of outdated design by the outbreak of war. She served on the China Station between 1906 and 1913, before being put in the Reserve Fleet in January 1914. On the outbreak of war she was reactivated and sent to the 4th Cruiser Squadron (West Indies Squadron). At the Battle of Coronel, outmatched and with an inexperienced crew, she was quickly overwhelmed, being unable to use many of her guns due to the stormy weather. Early in the battle, a shell from SMS Gneisenau penetrated the armour of the forward 6-inch gun turret, destroying it and causing a massive fire on the forecastle. More serious hits followed, and she was soon was out of action. SMS Gneisenau shifted fire to HMS Good Hope. A short while later, drifting and on fire, HMS Monmouth was attacked by the light cruiser SMS Nürnberg which fired seventy-five 4.1 inch shells at close range. Both British cruisers sank with a combined loss of 1,570 lives including 739 men from HMS Monmouth. There were no survivors from either ship.

Born 25 March 1881 in Liverpool. He was the adopted son of the late Owen Jones and Ellen Jones of 2 Treaddur Square, Holyhead. He joined the Navy at the age of 18 in March 1889 and extended his service in 1911. He had first served in HMS Monmouth from April 1912 to January 1914 and rejoined her on 4 August 1914. He was a single man.

Awarded the 1914-15 Star, Victory Medal and British War Medal.

Commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 1.

Image from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/HMS_Monmouth_%281901%29