Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Samuel was the son of David Rees JONES & Caroline Elizabeth SELLARS and was born on the 24th of March 1897 in Millerton, Burra, SA.

His parents were married on the 23rd of July 1891 at the residence of Caroline’s parents in Redruth, SA.

His father was the son of Samuel JONES & Catharine REES and was born on the 1st of November 1856 in Kooringa, Burra, SA.
His mother was the daughter of Frederick SELLARS & Johanna FLANNIGAN and was born on the 14th of June 1867 in Redruth, SA.

Samuel was the third child born into this family of 6 children.

His father was a shearer and then in the Aberdeen Quarries and the family lived in Millerton.

Samuel attended the Burra School and served with the senior cadets for 4 years before gaining employment as a labourer.

At the age of 17, Samuel enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 16th of January 1915 in Oaklands and posted to F Squadron, Light Horse Base Depot and claimed he was 18 years old.

Samuel was discharged from the AIF 5 weeks later on the 22nd of February as he was unable to obtain consent from his parents to enlist.

His brother David, aged 21, enlisted into the AIF on the 3rd of November 1915 and was allotted the service number 8958 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion.
On the 16th of November he was transferred to the Field Artillery Reinforcements in Mitcham Camp.
He was granted leave on the 23rd of December 1915 and returned to his family in Burra.
Whilst home on leave he was admitted into the Burra Hospital suffering from Cerebral Spinal Meningitis. Sadly he never recovered and died in the Burra Hospital on the 3rd of January 1916.
David was buried the following day in the Burra Cemetery; Plot 2462.

At the age of 18, Samuel re enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 15th of February 1916 in Burra and allotted the service number 1940 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion. He was then posted to the Base Light Horse in Mitcham Camp and then to the 9th Light Horse Regiment, 17th Reinforcements.

On the 16th of April he was posted to the 48th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements and embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A48 Seang Bee on the 13th of July 1916.

After serving nearly 3 years overseas and suffering a Gun Shot Wound to his hand, Samuel embarked from England on board HT Port Napier on the 12th of May 1919, disembarking in Adelaide on the 29th of June.

On Monday the 30th of June Samuel returned home to Burra where he was met by a large welcome home crowd at the railway station.

Samuel was discharged from the AIF on the 13th of August 1919.

In April 1923 Samuel announced his engagement to Miss Sarah Annie CREW of Wirrabara and they married on the 12th of September 1923 in Wirrabara, SA.
Sarah was the daughter of Charles CREW & Sarah Annie CLIFTON and was born on the 15th of July 1894 in Wirrabara, SA.

They welcomed their first child; David William Alfred, on the 9th of January 1925, followed by Samuel Leo on the 6th of September 1926.
Alec Malcolm was then born on the 10th of December 1927, followed by Cecil Boyce on the 22nd of October 1929.

Their last child; Ernest John, was born on the 11th of September 1933.

Samuel gained employment as a labourer and joined the Burra RSL Sub-Branch and their children attended the Burra School.

With the outbreak of WW2, their son Samuel enlisted into the CMF on the 30th of November 1944 (S115635).
David then enlisted on the 15th of June 1945 (SX34396).

Samuel died on the 25th of March 1961 in Burra and was buried 2 days later in the Burra Cemetery; Plot 2463, with his son David William Alfred JONES.
His son has a headstone, but Samuel does not have one.

Sarah died on the 19th of June 1967 and was buried in the Burra Cemetery; Plot 2649.

Military

At the age of 17, Samuel enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 16th of January 1915 in Oaklands and posted to F Squadron, Light Horse Base Depot.
He listed his mother, of Aberdeen, Burra, SA and claimed he was 18 years old.

Samuel was discharged from the AIF 5 weeks later on the 22nd of February as he was unable to obtain consent from his parents to enlist.

At the age of 18, Samuel re enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 15th of February 1916 in Burra and allotted the service number 1940 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion.
He listed his mother, of Aberdeen, Burra, SA.

He was then posted to the Base Light Horse in Mitcham Camp and then to the 9th Light Horse Regiment, 17th Reinforcements.

On the 16th of April he was posted to the 48th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements.
This Battalion formed part of the 12th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division. It became known as the "Joan of Arc" (the Maid of Orleans) Battalion because it was "made of all Leanes" - it was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ray Leane, his brother was the adjutant, and several other relatives were scattered throughout the battalion.

Samuel embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A48 Seang Bee on the 13th of July 1916, disembarked in Plymouth on the 9th of September and marched into the 12th Training Battalion in Codford.

After 3 months of training Samuel proceeded to France on the 23rd of September and was taken on strength with the 48th Battalion on the 7th of October who were in support at Ridgewood.
The Battalions first major battle on the Western Front had been at Pozieres. Here, they were tasked with defending ground captured in earlier attacks by the 2nd Division and they had entered the firing line on two separate occasions – 5th to 7th and 12th to 15th of August.
During the former period the Battalion endured what was said to be the heaviest artillery barrage ever experienced by Australian troops and they had suffered 598 casualties which compromised the Battalion strength.

By the 1st of November they had moved to Berthencourt and the following day they were embussed Dernancourt. They moved to Fricourt on the 11th and then into the front line in Switch & Gap Trench, near Flers where they remained for 2 weeks in the heavy fighting before moving to Mametz Huts.
After a week of rest they moved back to Dernancourt and then Flesselles for further training and Christmas 1916 was spent at Flesselles.

After enduring the worst European winter in 40 years they continued to take their turn at the front line.

They then moved forward to Brazentin on the 6th of January and relieved to 4th Battalion at Flers and after 10 days of heavy shelling and fighting they moved out of the front line and back to Brisbane Camp.
After a week here they moved to Brazentin Camp, Albury Camp on the 2nd of February and Townsville Camp on the 15th.
They then moved into the front line into Bulls Trench, near Sunken Road.

On the 5th of March Samuel was temporarily attached to the 12th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery at Bresle in the bitter cold and snow. They remained here in training until they moved to Shelter Wood Camp, near Albert, on the 23rd of March.

In March they followed up the Germans as they withdrew towards the Hindenburg Line. A new defensive line was established further west and early the following month the Battery supported the attacked around Bullecourt where Samuel’s original Battalion, the 48th, suffered 435 casualties.

Their next major battle was the First Battle of Bullecourt where to compensate for the lack of time and artillery, a company of twelve tanks was to lead the attackers into the Hindenburg Line defences by crushing the barbed wire in front of the defences of the XIV Reserve Corps (Gruppe Quéant).
The tanks were late and the attack of the 4th Australian Division was postponed but the 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division did not receive the message and patrols advanced into the Bullecourt defences, suffering 162 casualties before they returned to the British front line, in what became known as the "Buckshee Battle".

Next day the attack on Bullecourt went ahead, despite reservations, although several tanks broke down and others went off course. Both Australian brigades got into the German front position but were cut off and gradually overwhelmed, only a few Australians managing to break out. The Australians suffered 3,289 casualties, including 1,166 prisoners against 749 German casualties.

On the 4th of June they were heavily involved in the Battle of Messines which began with the detonation of nineteen mines beneath the German front position, which devastated it and left large craters. A creeping barrage, 700 yd (640 m) deep, began and protected the troops as they secured the ridge with support from tanks, cavalry patrols and aircraft.
The effect of the British mines, barrages and bombardments was improved by advances in artillery survey, flash spotting and centralised control of artillery.
The battle was a prelude to the much larger Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele), the preliminary bombardment for which began on the 11th of July 1917.

During the German spring offensive, they fought a defensive action around Dernancourt.
On the 19th of August Samuel gained 2 weeks leave to England 19.08.17 – 2 weeks leave to England and then rejoined his Battery in the Erny-Saint-Julien and Bomy Area in training.
From here they moved to the canal area in Ypres and then to Westhoek Ridge and onto Steenvoorde in October in support of the infantry.

Christmas 1917 was spent at Haut Allaines and by the end of January they had moved through to La Clytte.
In March they were in training at Meteren before moving to Bailleul-Mont and then onto Lavieville by mid April.
By the end of June they had moved to Sailly Laurette and then to Hamel Wood.
It was here on the 1st of July that Samuel suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his left hand and was admitted into the 4th Australian Field Ambulance.
Three days later he was transferred to the 14th General Hospital in Wimereux and then invalided to England the following day and admitted into the Fort Pitt Military Hospital in Chatham.

After 10 days here he was discharged to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford for 3 days and then granted 2 weeks furlo.
Samuel then reported to No.1 Command Depot in Sutton Veny and on the 14th of October he was transferred to the Overseas Training Battalion at Sandhill.
Four days later he was awarded 72 hours detention and forfeited 3 days pay for inattention on Parade.

Samuel proceeded back to France on the 27th of October and rejoined his Battery on the 3rd of November, who were in training at Pissy.
It was here on the 11th of November 1918 that they received the news that the Armistice had been signed and by the end of November that had moved onto Avesnelles, where they were paraded for the King on the 1st of December.

Samuel spent his last Christmas overseas at Waulsort and they enjoyed sport and recreation in January before moving to Nalinnes, Belgium at the end of February.
On the 21st of March, as part of No.19 Quota, Samuel marched out to the Australian Infantry Base Depot (AIBD) for return to England.

He embarked for England on the 31st of March and marched into No.4 Command Depot in Hurdcott.

Samuel embarked from England on board HT Port Napier on the 12th of May 1919, disembarking in Adelaide on the 29th of June.

Samuel was discharged from the AIF on the 13th of August 1919 and was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.