Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Horace Gerald Jones otherwise known as Horrie was born on the 11th of December 1892 in Angle Vale to parents Joshua and Harriet Jones (formally Harriet Baker). He was one of two children and he had a younger brother Allen Henry Jones born 9th of July 1895 who also enlisted in the war in 1916 his role was a Driver.

Horace’s schooling is unclear; there isn’t any information on where he attended school but there was a short news article which confirmed he went to school quoting ‘’He was born, reared, and educated at Angle Vale’’(The Register, Adelaide Tuesday 3rd of June, 1919.) As a young man he took up land at Parilla to become a farmer following in the footsteps of his father, who when arriving at Gawler River on the “Isobelle” in 1845 resided to be a farmer.

Horace enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force as a Private at Keswick on the 16th of July 1915 at the age of 21 years and 6 months.  On his Attestation Form he was described to have a fair complexion, hazel-coloured eyes and brown hair. He was 5 feet 7 ¾ inches tall (Figure 2). His next of kin was his father Joshua Jones of Parilla South Australia. Horace embarked on the 14th of September 1915 on the HMAT Ballarat A70 from Adelaide.

At embarkation he was a Private and was placed into the 10th Infantry Battalion. He was transferred to the 3rd Australian Machine Gun Company on the 13th of March 1916. He was promoted 3 times within 4 months his first being Lance Corporal which occurred on the 1st of January 1917. Secondly he was promoted  to temporary Vice Corporal on the 6th of April 1917. And thirdly on the 13th of May 1917 he was promoted to Vice Corporal.

He was hit with a cricket ball on his right knee on the 1st of July 1917 during a cricket match. He proceeded through the medical ‘system’ in France and eventually shipped over to England on the H.T. '’Kalyan’’ and  was admitted into London Hospital Camberwell on the 20th of July 1917. He returned to France via Folkstone on the 9th of April 1918. 4 years prior to enlisting in the war he had injured the same right knee in a football match he hadn’t been able to kneel easily ever since.      

After recovering from his injury he was transferred to the 1st Australian Machine Gun Company on the 20th of April 1918, where he remained until the end of the war. During his time at the 1st Australian Machine Gun Company he was promoted to a Sergeant on the 1st of September 1918.

Being part of the Australian Machine Gun means Horace was always at the firing line. He would have to use a gun called a ‘Vickers Machine Gun’. ‘’The Vickers was a water-cooled machine gun. The main barrel was wrapped in a jacket, which held approximately one gallon (3.7L) of water to continuously cool the barrel.’’ (Alexander Gurr, The Vickers Machine Gun)

Horace’s medical history is quite special; he is one of a few soldiers who never had to report being sick during his entire service at war. He was also buried 3 times, with the last, being unconscious for 21 hours.

Horace was awarded a 'Mentioned in Dispatches’ published in the London Gazette on the 11th of July 1919 on page 8833 at position 93 and also published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on the 30th of October 1919 on page 1659 at position 117. He also received two Oak Leaves (one large and one small)

After a heroic service in the war Horace returned to Australia on the 20th of May 1919 by the “Tras-Montes”. On his arrival he was greeted by a welcome home service on the 30th of May at his local Angle Vale Methodist church. The school children contributed 4 gifts to Horace and he was also gifted a gold medal and a Bible.

As Horace settled into his new life he continued his rural pursuits in Parilla and became a member of the Angle Vale Methodist Sunday School. On the 17th of August 1921 he married Rachel Winifred at the Methodist Church at Thebarton, Hindmarsh. She was 25 years old and her father was William Fisell. Rachel and Horace went on to have 4 children, the eldest was born in Pinnaroo on the 4th of October 1922 he was named Ron. Dorothy was born in Adelaide on the 25th November 1925, Doug was born in Woodside on the 9th March 1929 and Doug was born in Woodside on the 9th March 1929.

He continued his farming in Parilla up until 7 years before his death where he purchased a garden at Lenswood. ‘’He carried on successfully until just a few weeks before his death. He was an active part in his community, he was made a trustee of the Lenswood Methodist Church, a director of the Lenswood Cold Stores and a member of the school committee. He was responsible a year ago for financing, and with the aid of Mrs. Jones in opening a kindergarten in the Methodist Sunday School.’’ (Chronicle, Mr Horace Jones, 1935.)

Horace died on June 5th 1935 at the age of 41 at Lenswood. He was buried at West Terrace Cemetery (AIF Section), Australia Section: LO, Road: 6S, Site No: 19. (Figure 6)