Charles Jones was born on 26 April 1898, son of William George and Jane Jones of 76 Fleet Street. He was baptised on 22 June and the church records show that his father's occupation was Mason.

In the 1901 Census, Charles is 3 years old and living with his family at 76 Fleet Street.

By 1911, he is 14 and living at 47 Madoc Street with his father, who by this time is shown as a Widower, and 4 of his siblings. His father, George, reported that he was a Mason in the Building Trade and had been married for 25 years and had 16 children of which 8 were still living. Charles is shown as 14 and a Labourer.

Charles was mobilised with the Brigade in August 1914 and was featured in an article in the Cambria Daily Leader on 26 December 1914. He was referred to as Charlie and described as 4ft 2in tall and 6st 3lbs, the article adds: As his height suggests, Trumpeter Jones is one of the smallest men in the Division.

After the war, Charlie returned to his father's house in Madoc Street and then married Elizabeth in Swansea 9 February 1924. A post-war service record shows that Charlie and Elizabeth had 2 children, William Evan and Phyllis Elaine and lived in 8 Thomas Row, Swansea.

Charlie Jones joined the 1st Welsh Howitzers on 13 June 1913 at the age of 15 as a Trumpeter. His wartime service record has not survived, but a number of sources give an insight into his service.

Along with the rest of the Brigade, Charlie was mobilized in August 1914 and moved to Northampton. On 26 December 1914, and article was written about him titled Youngest man in the Welsh Division. The article went on to say Trumpeter Jones has been in the Battery for 2 years and his cheery manner makes him a general favourite.... The only thing that has affected his bright spirits is the fact that the military authorities will not, on account of his years, accept him for foreign service for which he volunteered with alacrity.

Charlie was, however, ultimately allowed on active service and 2 pieces of information provide some insight. In 1917, he was renumbered 745602, which is within a block of numbers that relate to the 68th Division Ammunition Column and his Silver War Badge record states that his final unit was 404/221 Battery, RFA.

404 (Howitzer) Battery embarked at Devonport on SS Durham Castle on 28 September 1917 and after changing ships to the SS Franz Ferdinand for the last part of the journey, disembarked at Basra on 20 November 1917. The Battery left Baghdad on 2 January 1918 and joined the 221st Brigade (part of the 17th Indian Division) on January 5/6. It is therefore likely that Charlie served in the latter stages of the Mesopotamia campaign, against the Turks in Persia/Iraq, which ended with the Armistice of Mudros and the cessation of hostilities on 31 October 1918.

Charlie was discharged from the Army on 1 September 1919 and awarded the British War Medal, Victory Medal and Silver War Badge - his records show that he was sick on discharge, suffering from debility and he received a pension.

Despite this, Charlie rejoined the Territorials on 30 June 1920 as a Trumpeter and served for a further 10 years.