Edward Samuel Jones, Manchester Regiment

Private, 1783, 1/8th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Died of wounds, aged 22, on 10 June 1915 at Gallipoli, Balklans.

The 1/8th Battalion was a Territorial Battalion and on the 4 August 1914 it received orders for mobilisation at their HQ at Ardwick Green, Ardwick, Manchester, as part of the Manchester Brigade, East Lancs Division. At the end of August they moved into camp at Hollingworth Lake, Littleborough near Rochdale. On the 10 September 1914 they sailed from Southampton for Egypt arriving at Alexandria on 25 September 1914. On 6 May 1915 they landed at Gallipoli. On 26 May they formally became part of 127 Brigade, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division.

On 4 June 1915 the 1/8th Battalion was part of the attacking force during the Third Battle of Krithia. In the centre the 127 Brigade gained its objectives and broke through the Turkish lines. However, other sections of the attacking force did not make the same gains and the Brigade was left exposed to counter-attack on three sides. It was forced to withdraw and dig in. It is probable that Private Jones was injured during this action and was transferred to hospital at Alexandria, where he later died of his wounds. At the end of the battle only about 250 yards of advance had been gained. The losses suffered by the Battalion from the action amounted to 10 Officers killed and 7 wounded, 58 men killed and 123 wounded with 57 missing.

Private Jones was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Jones, Trosyffordd, Four Mile Bridge, Anglesey. In 1911 he was employed as a Labourer, aged 17, on his father's farm of Trosyffordd, Four Mile Bridge. He lived with his father, Samuel Jones (61), born at Rhoscolyn, Anglesey and his mother Elizabeth (48), from Llanynghendl, Anglesey. He had two sisters, Mary Ellen Williams (25) (married) and Elizabeth Jane Jones (15) also a brother, Samuel Jones (12).

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

Buried in the Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery. Grave location L.85.