John Jones was born in Seacombe, Cheshire in circa 1877 and was the second of seven children to Henry Jones and Sarah (Barlow). He was a brother to Rifleman David Jones.
John spent his early years in Farnworth, Lancashire until the family moved to 14, Salisbuty Street, Flint sometime in the 1880s. The 1901 census found them living at Redfern’s Row, Chester Road and John was now employed as a general labourer. He was still living with his parents in 1911 at 23, Castle Street and was now a farm labourer.
His father died in 1912 and he and his mother went to live with her daughter Martha and husband James at 3, Saltney Terrace, Pentre, Hawarden.
He was a single man when enlisted in Wrexham in circa July, 1916 and was serving in Mesopotamia (Iraq) where he died on 22nd July, 1917. The circumstances surrounding his death are not known.
He was buried in Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq (Plot XIV, Row D, Grave 7).
It is not known for certain if he is remembered on any war memorial but it is possible that he is the ‘J Jones’ named on the Hawarden memorial .
He was awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal.
DEATH OF A FLINT SOLDIER
(County Herald 31st August, 1917)
The information reached Flint on Monday that Private John Jones, who was a son of the late Mr Henry Jones, bricklayer’s labourer, of Castle Street, Flint, some few years ago, had died at the Front. The mother of the deceased soldier, Mrs Sarah Jones, who is residing with her married daughter at Saltney Terrace, Pentre, Hawarden, received the official communication from the Records’ Office, Shrewsbury. The deceased was a young man, and prior to entering the Army, about twelve months ago, was employed with a large number of other men by a contractors’ firm in the district. He had a number of friends in Flint, who offer their sympathies to the bereaved mother and relatives.