I accidently found this newspaper cutting about George Joseph, who I had no information on at all, and he was a mystery to me, whilst looking for Frederick LANGMAID in the British Newspaper Archives. Please click on the link to read Frederick’s story, he is also remembered on the Connah’s Quay & Shotton WW2 War Memorial
Chester Chronicle – Saturday 31st March 1945.
ROLL OF HONOUR. JONES. — Loving memories of A.B. George Jones, our beloved eldest son and brother, killed in action St. Nazaire. March 28, 1942. (You are always our thoughts.)—From loving Mother. Dad. Brothers and Sister. 10. Crossways, Shotton.
George Joseph Jones was born on the 22nd of July 1918 at West Derby, Lancashire, according to the Registers of Reports of Deaths: Naval Ratings, the son of George Gordon & Kathleen M. Jones (nee Clarke), who had been married in West Derby in the March quarter of 1917 (W. Derby Vol. 8b Page 755).
We see the family on the 1921 census, for the first time, living in North Street, Shotton, Flintshire. This census was taken on the 19th of June 1921. George Jones (Snr.) was now 26 years and 7 months old and had been born in Falmouth, Cornwall. He was a “Breakerdown” at John Summers & Sons, Hawarden Bridge, Shotton. And was “Out of Work.” This was because of the Miner’s Strike. Kathleen Jones was now 24 years and 7 months old and had been born in Trim, County Meath, Ireland, and she was doing “Home Duties.” George Jones (Jnr.) was 3 years old and born in Liverpool, Lancashire, his brother Herbert Jones was 1 year 5 months old and had been born in Shotton, Flintshire.
The next time we see the family is on the 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 29th of September 1939. They had moved to 10, Crossways, Shotton, and this source gives us the dates of birth. George Gordon Jones had been born on the 6th of February 1895 and was a Gas Producer at the steel works. Kathleen M. Jones had been born on the 15th of February 1897 and as most married women who did not have a job, was described as doing “Unpaid Domestic Duties.” George Joseph Jones had been born on the 22nd of July 1918, confirming the Registers of Reports of Deaths – Naval Ratings above. He was a Chemist at the steel works. Herbert James Jones had been born on the 6th of March 1920 and was a Joiner. Irene Mary Jones* had been born on the 25th of January 1922 and was unemployed. Laurence John Jones had been born on the29th November 1932 and was at school. David Geoffrey Jones had been born on the12th of January 1939 and was Under school age.
*Irene Mary Jones was to go on to marry Peter Hastings in a Civil Ceremony in Holywell, in 1942. (Flintshire (Mold) HOL/65/)
I do not know when George Joseph Jones enlisted or was conscripted, but he was to find himself in the Royal Navy aboard H.M.M.L. 262.
George Joseph must have been on this ship which would have had him on a Free French Navy Ship.
https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/14447.html
Allied Warships
FFL ML 262 (ML 262)
Motor Launch of the Fairmile B class
Navy The Free French Navy
Type Motor Launch
Class Fairmile B
Pennant ML 262
Built by Collins Pleasurecraft Co. Ltd. (Oulton Broad, England, U.K.)
Ordered 21 May 1940
Laid down
Launched
Commissioned 18 Jun 1941
Lost 28 Mar 1942
History
Lost at St. Nazaire, France
Please see :-
https://uboat.net/allies/warships/navy/FFL.html
Allied Warships – Free French Navy
Ships of the Free French Navy
Harbour Defence Motor Launchs (22)
Motor minesweepers (19)
Motor Launchs (19)
Corvettes (9)
Motor Fishing Vessels (8)
Motor Torpedo Boats (8)
Destroyer escorts (6)
Frigates (6)
Submarines (5)
Escort destroyer (1)
Large destroyer (1)
Summary
104 warships of 11 types.
War losses – According to our files the Free French Navy lost 9 warships during WWII (8.65%). See them all here.
We don’t have any commands listed for FFL ML 262 (ML 262)
Also :-
https://uboat.net/allies/warships/war_losses.html?navy=FFL
Allied Warships – Allied War Losses
It shows ships destroyed (lost) to all causes during the war.
During the war the Allies (Americans, United Kingdom and Commonwealth, France, Russia, Netherlands, …) lost more than 1,900 warships to all causes. This listing shows them all.
Losses by navy
Royal Navy Royal Navy (1110)
US Navy US Navy (490)
Soviet Navy Soviet Navy (138)
French Navy French Navy (95)
Royal Dutch Navy Royal Dutch Navy (59)
Royal Canadian Navy Royal Canadian Navy (31)
Royal Hellenic Navy Royal Hellenic Navy (26)
Royal Norwegian Navy Royal Norwegian Navy (23)
Royal Australian Navy Royal Australian Navy (16)
Royal Indian Navy Royal Indian Navy (12)
Polish Navy Polish Navy (12)
Free French Navy Free French Navy (9)
Italian Navy Italian Navy (7)
United States Coast Guard United States Coast Guard (5)
Royal New Zealand Navy Royal New Zealand Navy (2)
Brazilian Navy Brazilian Navy (2)
This page shows all the Allied warships lost during World War Two. The page optionally is divided by navy for more compact listing.
And also read :-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_French_Naval_Forces
Free French Naval Forces
History
In the wake of the Armistice and the Appeal of 18 June, Charles de Gaulle founded the Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres, or FFL), including a naval arm, the “Free French Naval Forces” (Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres, or FNFL). On 24 June 1940, de Gaulle made a separate call specifically to servicemen overseas to join him, and two days later the submarine Narval entered Malta and pledged its allegiance to the FFL.[1] On 30 June, De Gaulle was joined by Vice-Admiral Émile Muselier, who had come from Gibraltar by flying boat. Muselier was the only flag officer of the French Navy to answer the call of De Gaulle.
So, George Joseph was among the lost at St. Nazaire, France aboard H.M.M.L. 262.
The unveiling of the WW2 Plaque on the Connah’s Quay & Shotton Cenotaph as reported in the Western Mail on the 10th November 1952: –
“A Connah’s Quay & Shotton British Legion Panel bearing names was unveiled by R. GARRATT (Chaiman, Connah’s Quay Urban Council), and dedicated by the Vicar of Connah’s Quay (the Rev. J.T. JENKINS)”
His loss was unbearable for his family and sadly, his father died on the 9th of January 1952, before he could see his son’s name on the War Memorial.
