S5320
JONES, James Edmund
| Service Numbers: | 1887, S73346 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) |
| Born: | Auburn, South Australia, 7 October 1893 |
| Home Town: | Auburn, Clare and Gilbert Valleys, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Clare, South Australia, 23 January 1968, aged 74 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Gepps Cross Auburn Literary Society Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Jan 1916: | Enlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 1887, 5th Pioneer Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Adelaide | |
| 11 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 1887, 5th Pioneer Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 1887, 10th Infantry Battalion |
World War 2 Service
| 17 Apr 1942: | Involvement Private, S73346, 10th (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Apr 1942: | Enlisted Auburn, SA | |
| 17 Apr 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, S73346 | |
| 20 Oct 1945: | Discharged |
World War 1 Service
| Date unknown: | Wounded 1887, 5th Pioneer Battalion |
|---|
Help us honour James Edmund Jones's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by tony griffin
The Jones of “Drumcalpin”
James Jabez Jones and his wife Jane arrived in Port Adelaide on board the Fitzjames from Drumcalpin, Ireland with their two sons, James and Robert, in 1855. A third son, Frank, was born in Australia. James cleared land between between Manoora and Auburn and named the farm Drumcalpin after their home in Ireland.
The eldest son, James, married Elizabeth Crush in 1879 and settled on the eastern side of the property. They named this part of the property Spring Farm. James and Elizabeth had ten children. Two sons, Arthur and Robert enlisted along with two son-in-laws. Elizabeth had married Henry MacKenzie and Myrtle married Ernest Edgar Goss.
The youngest of James and Jane’s son, Frank, married Ida and had four children. Their youngest son, James Edmund enlisted along with his brother-in-law Horace Waterman. Horace, a plasterer from Walkerville, had married James’ sister Rosamund at Drumcalpin in 1913. Their son, Horace Edmund, was born at Auburn on 31 October 1916, six months after Horace had embarked for overseas service. James and Horace served in the same unit, 5th Pioneer Battalion.
1887 Private James Edmund Jones
“A delightful evening was given by Mr. And Mrs. F. Jones for their son Edmund and son-in-law Horace Waterman , who will shortly leave for the front. Songs and various were indulged in up till supper time, after which speeches were made by Mr. A. Frost, Mr. F. Kelly, Mr. J. G. Lindsay, Mr. C. Leeder, and Mr. J. Jones. Among those present were Mrs. Galle, Mrs. Thomas, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Wheaton, Miss H. Frost, Miss S. Thomas, Miss F. Lindsay, Miss B. Roberts, Miss V. Thomas, Miss A. Roberts, Miss H. Galle, Miss Thomas, Miss M. Galle, Mr. E. Maxwell, Mr. K. Thomas, Mr. W. Jones, Mr. A. Frost, Mr. J. G. Lindsay, Mr. W. Roberts, Mr. J. Jones, Mr. G. Frost, Mr. C. Leeder, and Mr. F. Kelly.” - The Mail, Saturday 15 April 1916
James Jones was a 23 year old farmer, working on “Drumcalpin”, the family property 4 miles west of Manoora. Born on 2nd October 1892 he was the son of Benjamin Francis Jones and Ida Jones. James had been rejected for service once because of the condition of his teeth but finally enlisted and joined on 19 February 1916 when he was attached to C Company 2nd Depot Battalion at Mitcham.
On 1 April he was attached to 2nd Reinforcements 5th Pioneer Battalion and embarked from Australia on the troopship HMAT A60 Aeneas eleven days later. The 5th Pioneer Battalion spent May and early June constructing defensive positions at Ferry Post on the Suez before embarking from Alexandria to Marseilles. In early July the 5th Pioneers were at Sailly-le-sac on the Somme battlefields of northern France working on the front line. While still with the reinforcements at 5th Australian Division Base Depot he was admitted to 26th General Hospital at Estaples with German Measles and was not discharged until ten days later. Eighteen days later he was again admitted to hospital suffering from pyrexia and after a week embarked for England from 26th General Hospital. In England he was admitted to Ontario Military Hospital at Orpington in Kent where he was seriously ill with pneumonia. Here he met Annie Patience Barden, a hospital volunteer visiting the infirmed soldiers.
In September 1917 he again proceeded overseas to France where he was taken on strength of the 10th Battalion. The 10th Battalion fought at Polygon Wood near Ypres, Belgium and in 1918, after helping stop the strong German offensive, engaged the enemy at Amiens in August.
James was gassed and invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship HMHS Carisbrooke Castle. He was admitted to the Beaufort War Hospital in Bristol suffering from influenza and the affects of gas poisoning. In late September, his eyes still affected by the gas and unable to see well, he was given furlough.
The marriage of James and Annie was solemnized at St Andrews Church in Lewisham on the 1st January 1919.
Six months later James returned to Australia with his wife aboard HT Main. They disembarked in Adelaide on the 5th October and James was discharged on 29th November 1919.
Under the Soldier Settlement Scheme James was alloted Section 62 Hundred of Stanley. James died in 1968 and Annie died in 1977.
Click images to start slideshow.