Tom Jones’s Great Niece kindly provided the following:

Thomas Aneurin (Tom) Jones was born circa 1892 in Dyffryn Ceidrich, Llangadock, Carmarthenshire. He was the eldest son of James Jones, farm labourer, and his first wife, Ann Jones (nee Jacob).

His brother William Arthur Llewellyn Jones (my Grandad) was born in February 1895. About seven months later their mother died in the October of 1895 from TB. Thomas would have been about 2 or 3 years old when his birth mother died.

It’s almost certain that their father James Jones would have relied upon the family of his first wife, Ann (Jacobs) to help him look after the boys. The Jacobs family lived at Rhydsaint, Llangadock at that time.

In 1898 James remarried Anne Jones of Cayo, who became mother to Thomas and William. James and Ann went on to have four more children; Ivor John Stanley, Margaret Mabel, Oliver James Nicholas and Nora Meredith.

On the 1901 Census the family lived in Angel Cottage, attached to the Angel Hotel in Llandeilo. By now, Thomas’s father James was a Platelayer for Great Western Railway.

My Grandad William went to Llandeilo school, so it is almost certain that Thomas went there too.

By the 1911 Census the family lived in Tygwyn Bach Cottage, Bethlehem. James, Thomas and William were all Platelayers for GWR.

Thomas’s brother William, my Grandfather, joined the Carmarthenshire Constabulary in 1913, but it is not known whether Thomas continued to work for GWR until he enlisted. By the time the 1st World War broke out, the family were living in Graian / Graien / Green / Garden Cottage (variously named) in Bethlehem.

The family were involved with the farming of the farm opposite, Cefn Crewil. It is possible that Thomas worked on this farm prior to enlisting. In the years after the war, Thomas’s half-brother Oliver took over the running of this farm and lived there for many years.

While Thomas enlisted with the Territorial Force, his brother William, my Grandad, joined the Welsh Guards in 1915, leaving for France in August 1915. Their half-brother Ivor John “Stanley” joined the 4th Reserve Battalion (Welsh). He was likely to have been underage at the time of enlisting as he was born circa 1898.

On 25th October 1915 their father James Jones was killed by a train while working at Morlais Junction, near Llangenneth Station. There is no record of William being granted leave to go home, but it was unlikely that this would have been granted at this stage of the war.

We know that Thomas died right at the end of World War 1, in Palestine, and is buried at Ramleh War Cemetery (BB.65). He is also commemorated on his father’s gravestone at the chapel in Bethlehem, Carmarthenshire, a field away from their family home. Thomas was not married and had no known children.

Thomas’s brother William saw action with the Welsh Guards on the Western Front until early 1919. Interestingly, William was granted leave to return home from 22nd October until 5th November 1918, a time when the Welsh Guards would have been involved in fighting around Cambrai. I imagine this leave was granted in response to his brother Thomas’s death.

Tom Jones enlisted in the 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade as a Gunner between the 2nd and 4th January 1915 and was given the Service Number 1094.

Unfortunately, his Service Record was destroyed during the Blitz and there is little other surviving information. However, it is still possible to provide an outline about what it is likely that he did during the War.

After enlisting, Gnr T.A. Jones would have undertaken basic training at the Brigade Depot in Swansea, where he would have focused on fitness, drill and theory because weapons and uniforms were still in short supply.

At some point during 1915, after completing his basic training, Gnr Jones joined the Brigade (most likely in Bedford) where he continued his training, readying himself for Active Service.

The Brigade finally received orders to move to France in November 1915, and according to surviving records, Gnr Jones was one of the 401 men who travelled from Southampton to Le Havre on 22 November 1915.

From Le Havre, the Brigade travelled to the Somme to undertake frontline training in an area close to Albert opposite Mametz. This area would mark the Southern edge of the Somme battlefield just 6 months later and be the scene of bitter fighting.

Shortly before Christmas 1915, the Brigade withdrew from the front-line and received orders to rejoin the 53rd Welsh Division in Egypt. Whilst there are no records confirming this, it is reasonable to assume Tom made the dangerous 5 day crossing from Marseilles to Alexandria with the Brigade in February 1916.

From Alexandria, the Brigade travelled to Beni Salama, 40 miles south of Cairo where they rejoined the Welsh Division and acclimatized to the desert conditions. They also were given the opportunity to visit Cairo. A portrait of Tom has survived that was taken in a studio in Cairo at this time.

Several sources confirm that Tom remained with the Brigade for the rest of his war. In 1917, when all territorial artillery personnel were given new numbers, he was given the number 725429, which is from a block of numbers associated with the 1st Welsh Howitzers. Also, his final unit was C Battery of 265 Brigade, which was the final name of the 1st Glamorgan Battery of the 1st Welsh Howitzers after a number of renamings/restructurings during the war.

In May 1915, the Brigade took over a section of the Suez Canal defences in the area of Ismailia where they remained until November. Conditions were difficult and little happened.

Later in the year, General Murray concluded that attack was the best form of defence and the Brigade, along with the rest of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force began a march through the Middle East that would last for the next 2 years.

After the difficult crossing of the Sinai desert, the Brigade fought in the 3 battles of Gaza and reached Jerusalem by Christmas 1917.

In 1918 the Brigade continued their advance against the Turkish Armies through Palestine and the Judean Hills. Conditions were difficult and were described in a Swansea newspaper after the war; We had extreme cold, hail, sleet and rain, out in the Judean Hills, with no cover or protection whatever; in a country alive with fever’.

At some point, close to the end of the war, Tom contracted Malaria and was taken to a field hospital near Jerusalem. Unfortunately, he did not recover and died at the age of 26 on 22 October 1918, just 3 weeks before the end of the war.

Thomas Aneurin Jones was buried in Ramleh Military Cemetery near Jerusalem. The records held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission stated that when he died, he was serving as a Signaller and added: Son of Anne and the late James Jones, of Graian Cottage, Bethlehem, Llandilo, Carmarthenshire. Tom is also remembered on his father’s gravestone in Bethlehem, just a field away from their family home.

For his service, Gunner/Signaller Tom Jones was awarded the 1914/14 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. His family would have also received a bronze memorial plaque and scroll to recognize his sacrifice.