Thomas Salisbury Jones was born about 1891.
He appears on the 1901 census living with his family at Glanmorfa, Mostyn in the Parish of Whitford. Head of the household was Thomas E Jones who was a 34 year old Commercial Traveller who had been born in Lancashire. His wife Mary was 36. Their listed children were Joseph R 11 and Thomas S 10 they had been born in Tranmere and Marianne E 6 had been born in Birkenhead.
The census of 1911 records the family at Fishery House, Glan y Don. Thomas Edward Jones was a 44 year old clerk. His wife of 22 years Mary was 46. She had given birth to 4 children all of whom were still living. Their children listed in the household were Joseph Robert, 21 a Clerk, Thomas Salisbury Jones 20 was a Shop Assistant and Edward Charles was 13.
We know from a small item in The County Herald (date unknown but presumably shortly after he had died) that ‘Before joining he was a Baker with W.J Ellis, Church Street Flint. 26. He was a member of Christ Church Sunday School and an old scholar of Holywell County School, Mostyn’ .
UK Soldiers who died in The Great War 1914-19 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms the regimental details listed at the top of this page. This source says he was born in Birkenhead. It tells us he enlisted in Holywell and that he was ‘Killed in Action’. his medal index card also on ancestry lists his medal entitlement.
Thomas Salisbury Jones’s Army Service Records have survived and are accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk . The condition is not good but it is possible to glean some of his story.
He enlisted on the 11th December 1915 at Holywell. He took his oath and signed his Attestation Papers. His address was written as Fishly House Mostyn. (Army error? Fishery House). He was 24 years and 11 months old and was a Baker.
He was medically examined on 31st May 1916. The report says he was born in Birkenhead and that he was a Baker. He was 5 feet 2 and3/4 inches tall, weighed 110 lbs and had a chest measurement of 34 inches with an expansion range of 2 and 1/2 inches. His physical development was ‘Good’ and his eyesight was ‘Good’. The conclusion was that there were ‘slight defects but not sufficient to cause rejection’.
He was formerly accepted into The Royal Welsh Fusiliers with an official Stamp onto his Attestation Papers, Stating 14th July 1916 Wrexham. There is a reference to Kinmel (Camp) dated 16th July 1916.
Thomas got into a bit of trouble on the 5th September 1916 for being ‘Unshaven on parade’ and he was confined to Barracks for 4 days as punishment.
He embarked for France on the 29th December 1916 and was recorded at Rouen on 30th December 1916. He proceeded to join his regiment in the field on 17th January 1917. He was killed in action on the 8th April 1917. The records says ‘Place not stated’.
There is correspondence in the records between the Army and Thomas’s father. These concern the receipt of his personal property (letters and cards), medals and commemorative plaque and scroll.
There is a ‘Surviving Relatives’ form in the Records which was dated 23rd September 1919. It names the parents Thomas and Mary Jones of Fishery House Mostyn. It names two brothers and one sister. Joseph Robert was 30 and his address was The Barracks Wrexham. Edward Charles 22 and Marianne Jane 25 were both living at Fishery House.
There is an index card for Thomas in the Flintshire Roll of Honour at The County Record Office in Hawarden. It confirms the Regimental details and the address (Fishery House). It says he was Killed in action near Arras France.