Name

John Jones.

Description

Newspaper Photograph of Stoker John Jones.

Life Story

Name: John Jones

Service Number: 1035U.

Rank: Stoker.

Battalion: HMS Goliath.

Regiment: Royal Navy.

Born: 10th November 1872, Shankill, Belfast

Died: 13th May 1915.

Address: 11 Sugarfield Street, Belfast

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John Jones, son of John and Margaret Jones, lived with his wife and children at 11 Sugarfield Street, Shankill Road, Belfast

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The 1901 Ireland Census has John living at 77 Sugarfield Street, Shankill Road, Belfast with his wife Charlotte and two boarders, Martha Bruce, 48 years, and Bengham Bruce,68 years, Farm Labourer. Johns occupation at this time is given as Marine Sailor Fireman

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The 1911 Ireland Census has John living at 3 Sugarfield Street, Shankill Road, Belfast with his wife Charlotte, daughter Mary Margaret, 9 years, son John, 7 years, and Martha Burrell, 72 years, a relative from County Armagh

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John had married Charlotte Jones, Nee Burl, Burrell, on the 1st December 1897 within Cliftonville Presbyterian Church Belfast

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They went on to have two children, their names and dates of births are as follows, Mary Margaret Jones born 7th November 1901, John Lindsay Jones born 5th January 1904

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John joined the Royal Navy on the 23rd March 1901.

He was dispatched from Belfast to Portsmouth on the 3rd August 1914 to board HMS Goliath.

He served on a number of ships throughout his career, including the following: HMS Roxburgh, HMS King Alfred, HMS Irresistible among them, before ending on HMS Goliath. His Character throughout his service is given as Very Good.

John Jones was a Stoker within the Royal Navy when while serving aboard HMS Goliath he Drowned, Lost At Sea on the 13th May 1915 aged 42 years, after his ship, HMS Goliath while supporting the landings of British Mediterranean Forces at Cape Helles, Y Beach, was hit by three torpedoes from the Ottoman Destroyer, the Muvenet-i Millye

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A local newspaper states.

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RANK AND FILE.

Belfast Families Bereaved.

BROTHERS DROWNED AT DARDENELLES.

Two cases of casualties to more than one member of the same family are reported. In the first two brothers serving on HMS Goliath were drowned in the Dardanelles, and in the second a Belfast man, who has three sons in the Canadians, has been notified one has been killed, the second wounded, and the third wounded and missing

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The men who have been drowned are Stoker Robert Jones RNR 2249T, and Seaman John Jones RNR 1268D. They perished with close on 500 of their shipmates when Goliath was torpedoed in the Dardanelles on 13th ult. Robert was the husband of Mrs Margaret Jones, 37 Hurst Street, Sandy Row, and leaves four little sons. He was a member of Royal Oak L.O.L 374 and Belfast Temperance R.B.P 456. Being a naval reservist he rejoined last August. He was at one time a soldier, and served in the Boer War with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. His brother John is survived by his wife and two children, who reside at 11 Sugarfield Street. He was a Queens Island worker, and a reservist

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This newspaper article shows John's Naval Service Number as 1268D, however this is a mistake, and it has been made because of another Sailor, with the exact same name, John Jones, from Aberaeron Wales, who sadly died at the same time aboard the same ship.

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Naval Pensions To Widows Of Men Whose Death Is Attributable To War like Operations show his wife Charlotte as claimant.

Dependant Pension Application Forms show his widow as claimant

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See brother also: 2249T Stoker Robert Jones HMS Goliath Royal Navy

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John received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-1915 Star.

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He is Remembered at Portsmouth Naval Memorial, United Kingdom.

To Remember Is To Honour

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