Remembering the Fallen of the Great War – Thomas Leonard Jones

Thomas Leonard Jones

Private :: South Wales Borderers

Died of Wounds :: 30th April 1918 :: Germany

The memorial in the churchyard reads:

‘In loving memory of Thomas Leonard Jones

Who died of wounds received in action April 30th 1918

Aged 42 years

Interred in South Cemetery, Cologne

‘In hope of a joyful resurrection’

Thomas Leonard Jones was born in Welshpool in 1876 to parents Thomas Samuel and Margaret Jones. He was the youngest of their three children and he had two sisters, Margaret and Lucy. His father was a Mason and his mother a Dressmaker. The family lived in Brook Cottage, Raven Square.

During Leonard’s early years, his father died. By the age of 15 Leonard was working as an apprentice. The 1891 census record is difficult to read, but it is likely he was a Grocer’s apprentice.

By 1908 the family were living at 12 Mount Street.

The family had more difficult times to endure, when Leonard’s sister Lucy died in 1908, followed by his oldest sister Margaret in 1909. Leonard continued to live with his mother at 12 Mount Street and he was working as a Grocer.

On August 8th 1912, at the age of 36, Leonard married Elizabeth Charlotte Smith at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Welshpool.

With the outbreak of war, Leonard enlisted with the 2nd Battalion of the South Wales Borderers in Newport, Monmouthshire (now Gwent). It is not known when he enlisted so we cannot be sure of his military history, but the Battalion served in the Gallipoli campaign in 1915. During 1916 and 1917 the Battalion saw action in France & Flanders with the Third Battle of Ypres and at Cambrai.

In 1918 the Battalion were involved in combating the German offensive on the Lys in April 1918.

On 11th April, Leonard was reported missing while in action on the front line at Estaires. Leonard had sustained injuries to his right knee and left upper thigh. He was captured by the German Army and became a Prisoner of War. He was sent to Limburg, a holding camp, where he received medical attention. It appears that he was moved to a camp in Cologne as they had hospitals there which were treating British Prisoners of War. However Leonard died due to his wounds on 30th April 1918.

He was 42 years old.

Leonard was buried at South Cemetery in Cologne.

He is also commemorated on Welshpool’s war memorial.

A detailed account of Leonard’s story is on display as part of the ‘Remembering the Fallen at Christ Church’ exhibition.

Previously published stories of WW1 memorials here at Christ Church can be seen here.