Latimer Jones was born in early 1894 in Gorseinon. His parents were James Lake Jones and Sarah Jones.

The first record of Latimer is in the 1901 Census, he was living with his parents and 3 older siblings at 110 Pentretreharne Road, Landore, Swansea. His father was working for the Great Western Railway coaling engines.

In the 1911 Census, Latimer was 17 and had started work as a Coal Haulier. He was still living with his parents and an older sister at 110 Pentretreharne Road.

Latimer enlisted in March 1915 and he would have seen little of his family – other than a few short periods of leave – until he was demobilized at the end of the War.

After the war, he returned to Swansea and married Annie Jane Hatch at the Parish Church, Swansea on 24 April 1920. On his marriage certificate, he gave his address as 19 Madoc Street and Profession as Pot Welder. According to one of his family; He met my Nanna Jane while they were both sheltering from a rain storm. Latimer and Jane went on to have 4 children, 2 girls and 2 boys.

His family added; After the war he returned to the family and had his own coal business. My father told me he died from a lung disease caused by gas inhalation from his time in the forces when he was only in his forties.

Latimer Jones passed away at the age of 42 at 15 Madoc Street. He was laid to rest at St Peters Church in Cockett on 12 August 1937.

His family concluded; My mum was told by her Aunts that he was a lovely man and would always help anybody that needed it.

Latimer Jones enlisted in the 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade some time between 10 and 15 March 1915. Unfortunately, his service record was destroyed during the Blitz, but it is possible to reconstruct some elements using surviving scraps of information.

Latimer enlisted as a Driver, possibly as a result of experience as a Haulier. A Drivers role was to look after and drive the teams of horses that pulled the guns. At the time he enlisted he would have been given a Brigade service number, whilst no records have survived, it is likely to have been 1238.

He would have started his training at the Brigade Depot in Swansea, but as training was centralized across the country, it is likely that he moved to one of the Artillery Training Schools at Luton or Winchester.

Dvr Jones did not travel to France with the rest of the Brigade in late 1915, so he would have been posted to wherever he was needed. There are no further official records relating to where he served, however his Grandson kindly provided the following; My father (Kenneth) did talk to me about him when I was younger but he was only 7 years old when Latimer died so he was not able to tell me a lot. What I was told is that he was serving in what was then Mesopotamia during WW1 looking after the horses.

The Mesopotamia campaign was fought in modern-day Iraq between troops of the British Empire and the Turkish Army. After the surrender of the Kut garrison in April 1916, a new commander, Lt-General Maude took over the Army and boosted his force with increased artillery and improved logistical, medical and transport support.

Over the next 2 years, his Army pushed the Turks back to Kut then on to Baghdad, finally reaching Mosul in November 1918. The extreme heat in Mesopotamia - alongside poor medical facilities, lack of clean water, flies, mosquitoes and vermin - led to appalling levels of sickness and death from disease.

For his service in the Great War, Driver Latimer Jones was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.