Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Carlton Police Station, Melbourne, Victoria

One of five Broadford, Victoria born children of John Francis and Margaret Eleanor Jones née Thomas, Oscar Anglesey shared his second name with two of his brothers, Ivor and Lincoln.

Moving to Melbourne, on 1 November 1912, 20 years of age, labourer, Oscar Anglesey Jones gained appointment to the Victoria Police Force.

Brown eyed, dark brown headed, 5’10¾” tall, Oscar Jones, upon completion of initial training in foot constable duties transferred, on 4 January 1913, to Russell Street. Remaining until 22 September 1913 when he transferred to Carlton police station making the acquaintance of policing colleagues Dave Gilliespie, Edward Sharpe, and Charles Highland – all enlisting in the AIF.

Making his commitment, by signing, on 11 March 1915, an Attestation Paper, resigning, on 15 March 1915, from the Victoria Police Force, a necessity in the early days of Victoria Policemen wishing to join the AIF.

Assigned to the 21st Battalion, raised at Broadmeadows, Victoria, in February 1915 as part of the formation of the 6th Brigade, 2nd Division, from volunteers for overseas service drawn from all over Australia, following training at Broadmeadows and Seymour Camps in Victoria, Oscar Jones, together with George Waugh, former Mounted Constable 5682, of Dartmoor Police Station, as well as their unit, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on 10 May 1915 for Egypt.

Arriving there in June 1915, it undertook further training before being dispatched as reinforcements to Gallipoli in late August. En route the battalion's transport, HMT Southland, was torpedoed by German submarine UB-14 near Lemnos and the passengers and crew were forced to abandon ship.

Receiving promotion, on 1 June 1915, to Corporal, George Waugh was “Specially mentioned by the Commander-in-Chief for work done in assisting HMAT Southland into Mudros after being torpedoed. Authority. Special Order 27 by C. in C. 17/9/15”

Likewise, on 1 June 1915, Oscar Jones was upgraded to acting Corporal until 25 July 1915 when he was promoted to Lance Sergeant.

Nevertheless, the 21st Battalion eventually arrived at ANZAC Cove on 7 September. Undertaking mainly defensive duties, along the Australian line until December 1915, before being evacuated from the Gallipoli peninsula. One 21st Battalion soldier who was killed during the Gallipoli campaign, 14 years and nine months old, Private James Martin, believed to have been the youngest Australian soldier killed during the war.

Appointed, on 15 September 1915, 2nd Lieutenant 21st Battalion, Oscar Jones was, on 28 September 1915, promoted 2nd Lieutenant.

Returning to Egypt, via Lemnos, the battalion undertook Suez Canal Zone defensive duties, as well as further training. During this time the AIF underwent a period of reorganisation while its future employment on operations was decided. A number of units from the 1st Division were split, providing cadre staff for newly formed battalions, however, the 21st Battalion, like the rest of those from the 2nd Division, remained intact. During this reorganisation, on 15 March 1916, Oscar Jones was promoted to Lieutenant.

Reorganised, as well as expanded, in March 1916, the AIF's infantry divisions began transferring to France and Belgium to serve in the trenches of the Western Front. Their first major action in France came at Pozières and Mouquet Farm from 23 July 1916 until 7 August 1916.

Pozières, a small village in the Somme valley in France, was the scene of bitter and costly fighting for the 1st, 2nd and 4th Australian Divisions in mid 1916.
During the July 1916, Battle of Pozières, the battalion was committed, mainly utilised in conducting transporting tasks, Lieutenant Landford of ‘D’ Company 21st Battalion, on 19-20 July 1916, reported – “From this Company [D] after Pozieres three of our men are still missing, Sergt Waugh 2651, Private D. Fifield and 872 Pte A.G. Hill. After our advance we were detailed to carry consolidating material to the newly taken trenches and Fifield and Hill were amongst the men. The shelling was very hot, but all returned except Fifield and Hill and many wounded. These two were either buried or killed outright by a shell. The dead were everywhere round Pozieres and hundreds [who are probably posted as missing] were simply placed in a shell hole and covered up.”

Initially captured on 23 July 1916, Pozières sustained almost continuous artillery fire, as well as repeated German counter-attacks resulting in, by 27 July, 5,285 casualties.

Relieving the 1st Division, the 2nd Division mounted two further attacks - the first, on 29 July, was a costly failure; the second, on 2 August, resulted in the seizure of further German positions beyond the village. Again, the Australians suffered heavily from retaliatory bombardment, upon its 6 August relief, having suffered 6,848 casualties.

The 4th Division was next into the line at Pozières. It too endured a massive artillery bombardment, and defeated a German counter-attack on 7 August; this was the last attempt by the Germans to retake Pozières, as well as the heroic exploits of Lieutenant Albert Jacka resulting in his being awarded the Victoria Cross.

Securing Pozières, plans were evolved to complete the second phase to push northwards to Mouquet Farm to outflank the German stronghold at Thiepval.
Early 22 August 1916 morning mist enabled AIF 1st Division soldiers to work on a line joining the new position until it began to lift as short range fire began to wound and kill them. The 3rd Brigade lost 840 men in front of Mouquet Farm; overall the 1st Division lost 2,650 men in miniscule progress.

On 15 September 1916, Lieutenant Oscar Jones received a Recommendation for Military Cross –

“This officer, since his promotion from the ranks, has proved himself a keen and conscientious Officer. He has done excellent work as Bomb Officer in action and also in instructor. When in the firing line coolness and resource have marked all his actions.

“In the recent operations at Poziéres he caried out a determined bomb attack on the left flank against Point 54 and continued the same until the whole of his party, except one man, were casualties.”

Continuing to earn promotion, on 11 December 1916, Lieutenant Oscar Jones was promoted Captain. Recommended for the Croix de guerre 1914–1918 [English: War Cross], a French military decoration, created in recognition of French, as well as allied soldiers, cited for valorous service during World War I, similar to the British mentioned in despatches, however with multiple degrees equivalent to other nations' decorations for courage.

Every Croix de guerre awarded carries at least one citation for gallantry or courage. Ribbon devices indicate the importance or degree of the soldier's role during the action cited. The highest degree, awarded to Captain Oscar Jones, is represented by a bronze palm.

His citation reads –

“Valuable services in carrying out successful bomb attack, and personal gallantry in action [Mouquet Farm].
Recommendation date: 19 January 1917

“Gallantry and fine leadership of bombing party, rendering valuable services. [Pozieres]
Recommendation date: 20 January 1917"

“On 26 August 1916 at the Quarry near Moquet Farm, he carried out a determined bomb attack on the left flank near point 54, and continued the same until the whole of his party, except one man, were casualties. Seeing a hostile counter attack being launched against his section of trench, he, with the assistance of one man, to load his rifle, succeeded in killing a large number of the enemy, and thus beat back the attack.” – 25 January 1917

His award was proclaimed – Oscar Abglesey Jones, Captain 21st Australian Infantry Battalion, in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 4 October 1917 page 2622 at position 5, together with London Gazette 1 May 1917 at position 3.

Forming part of the British 5th Army, four experienced Australian divisions of I ANZAC Corps under the relatively young, energetic, General Sir Hubert Gough, on 10 April 1917, in support of an important offensive by the adjoining British 3rd Army to the north, together with the French Army further to the south. However, his aggressive spirit, coupled with poor planning, resulted in heavy losses.

Planning to deploy the 4th Australian Division, as well as the 62nd British Division to the Hindenburg Line near the village of Bullecourt, rather than wait for sufficient artillery resources, Gough decided to employ a dozen tanks to lead the troops through the enemy’s barbed-wire.

Exposed to murderous machine-gun, together with artillery fire, the Australians were forced back to their own lines whilst tanks stood burning on the battlefield. Three thousand Australians were either killed or wounded; many survivors remaining bitter about such a futile waste.

'Bullecourt, more than any other battle, shook the confidence of Australian soldiers in the capacity of the British command; the errors, especially on April 10th and 11th, were obvious to almost everyone'. – Charles Bean, Official Historian.

Despite the failure of the first attack, General Gough again attempted to break the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt. On 3 May 1917, the 2nd Australian Division attacked with the British alongside. Although the brigade on the right faltered under deadly machine-gun fire, the 6th Brigade entered and courageously held, enemy trenches despite heavy shellfire and counter attacks.

Forty years of age, 180 cm, Constable Albert Edwin ‘Bert’ Barnden 4748 serving as Corporal in the 23rd Battalion AIF, tragically, together with 100 of his 23rd Battalion comrades, was killed in action on 3 May 1917 at Bullecourt, France, his final resting place being unknown, his memory is commemorated at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.

Leading his men into the German trenches, about 4 a.m. on 3 May 1917, 24 years of age, Constable Oscar Anglesey Jones 5826, serving as Captain in the 21st Battalion AIF, was struck in the upper legs by exploding bomb shrapnel.

Unable to be extracted for two hours, eventually carried 200 yards to 3 Casualty Clearing Station with the attending medical doctor noting –

“Capt. Jones died of wounds at No. CCS Grevillers near Bapaume. A shell wound causing compound fractures of both legs. He was buried at Grevillers.
Informant Lieut N. M. Hunt, 21 A.I.F., 1st Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge. Home address: 106 Harley Street, London”

Furious fighting in these blood-soaked fields, only advanced the line a kilometre or so, came at the heavy cost of 7,000 Australian casualties.

'The Second Bullecourt [battle] was, in some ways, the stoutest achievement of the Australian soldier in France'. – Charles Bean, official historian.

Oscar Anglesey Jones

A tribute to the memory of Captain Oscar A. Jones, who died of wounds received in France on the 3rd May, 1917. "His duty nobly done." - (Inserted by his comrades of the Carlton Police Force.)
Died of wounds, in France, on 3rd May, 1917, Captain Oscar Anglesey Jones, dearly loved son of Margaret E. and the late J. Francis Jones, 212 McKean Street, North Fitzroy, and loved brother of Gwladys, Frank, and Ivor, aged 24 years. Some time we'll understand.