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David Jones (VC)
Encyclopedia
David Jones VC
(10 January 1891 - 7 October 1916) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
Jones was 25 years old, and a serjeant
in the 12th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool) Regiment, British Army
during the First World War
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 3 September 1916 at Guillemont
, France
, the platoon to which Serjeant Jones belonged was ordered to a forward position and during the advance came under heavy machine-gun fire, the officer being killed and the platoon suffering a great many casualties. The sergeant led forward the survivors, occupied the position and held it for two days and two nights, without food or water, until relieved. On the second day he drove back three counter-attacks, inflicting heavy losses.
He was killed in action
at Bancourt
, Somme
, France, on 7 October 1916 and is buried in Bancourt British Cemetery.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the King's Regiment in Liverpool, England.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(10 January 1891 - 7 October 1916) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Jones was 25 years old, and a serjeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in the 12th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool) Regiment, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 3 September 1916 at Guillemont
Guillemont
Guillemont is a commune roughly 8 miles east of Albert in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.It, like much of the surrounding area, is primarily an agricultural community, but is known for its large cemetery, which has become a tourist attraction...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the platoon to which Serjeant Jones belonged was ordered to a forward position and during the advance came under heavy machine-gun fire, the officer being killed and the platoon suffering a great many casualties. The sergeant led forward the survivors, occupied the position and held it for two days and two nights, without food or water, until relieved. On the second day he drove back three counter-attacks, inflicting heavy losses.
He was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
at Bancourt
Bancourt
Bancourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A small farming village located 10 miles south of Arras at the junction of the D7 and D7E1 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:...
, Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
, France, on 7 October 1916 and is buried in Bancourt British Cemetery.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the King's Regiment in Liverpool, England.
External links
- The King's Regiment (regiment history)
- David Jones at Find-A-Grave