David Jones was the youngest child and second son of Robert and Margaret Jones. He was born in 1889 at Llangwm near Corwen. His father was a road surveyor and farmer at Llwyn Cwbl, Llangwm.  His elder siblings were Margaret, John and Mary. By 1911 David was working for the Post Office as a postman. David was a talented harpist – his teacher was the famous Welsh harpist Nansi Richards, born at Pen y Bont Fawr in the Tanat Valley, whose Bardic name was ‘Telynores Maldwyn’.

(People’s Collection Wales)

David was a conscript and enlisted at Oswestry joining 1 Bn Welsh Guards in October or November 1915; he was one of the first Welsh Guardsmen. The Regiment only came into existence in February 1915.  It was the last of the Foot Guards Regiments to be formed. The Regiment has close links with Oswestry; Sir Francis Lloyd who was charged with the task of forming the Welsh Guards, was from Aston Hall, Oswestry and the Regiment‘s first Colonel, Lord Harlech, lived at Brogyntyn Hall, Oswestry. It is possible David was working at Oswestry. Alternatively he traveled to the town to join the new Welsh regiment.  He did not arrive in France until 1916.

David died of Septicaemia on 7 January 1917 at a base hospital at le Treport near Dieppe. He had likely been infected through a wound or injury. In the weeks prior to David’s death the Regiment was operating on the Somme with time divided in camps around Bronfay and in the trenches at Morval. David is buried at Mont Huon Military Cemetery at le Treport. He is also commemorated on Corwen War Memorial and there is a commemorative plaque at Geilliod Chapel near to Llangwm.

David Jones ‘Dead Man’s Penny'(People’s Collection Wales)

A local bard, Private David Ellis (CWGC) of Penyfed wrote this elergy for David Jones – ‘The fervent song of his sweet harp is silent; his cottage is in darkness; through the aching acres – through the valley he went, leaving his sojourn and his hymn’.

Acknowledgements.  People’s Collection Wales

References and Sources

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