Stanley Owen Jones was born in 1896 at Oswestry and lived at 6 Llwyn Road, Oswestry with his parents John and Louisa. He had five siblings – Florrie, Leonard, Minnie, Frances and Gladys. His father was a blacksmith at the Cambrian Railway Works. Stanley would follow him into the works taking an apprenticeship as a machinist and fitter. Stanley also joined the 4 Bn KSLI Territorials and at the beginning of the war went with the battalion to India and Far East – he was awarded the Territorial Forces Medal for his war service. He returned to France with the battalion in July 1917.

Stanley is listed as KIA as between 11 and 19 April 1918. This was during Operation Georgette, Kaiser Offensive. During this time the battalion had been heavily in action at Ploegsteert and around Wulverghem near to Kemmel. They were frequently the target of enemy barrages. It was during this time that Stanley Owen Jones was hit and killed – it is probable he was at first listed as missing in action on or after the 11th with his death recorded on the 19 April. His body was not identified or recovered and he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. He is also commemorated on Cambrian Railway Memorial.

Stanley’s obituary gives a brief account of how Stanley had saved the life of another Oswestry man, ‘…before receiving his death wound he (Stanley) saved the life of Oswestry Man Private Pryce Davies, son of Mrs Davies, 8 Vyrnwy Road, who had since had to have his leg amputated but is going on satisfactorily. (Stanley) went through a heavy bombardment and shell fire to bring him out of the trenches’.

Acknowledgements.

References and Sources

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