Fred's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Fred Jones was born on 8 April and baptised on 30 May 1897 at St Peter's Church, Windmill St, Macclesfield, the son of Phoebe Ann and Ernest Jones, a fustian cutter of 26 Windmill St, Macclesfield. In 1911, thirteen-year-old Fred was working as a silk hand and living at 4 Barber Street, Macclesfield with his parents and sisters Emily (19), Olive (17), Edith (6), Louisa (4) and Ivy (3).
The family later lived at 40 Windmill Street, Macclesfield.
WW1 SERVICE
Fred attested with the 7th Bn Cheshire Regiment on 7 November 1914 at the age of 17 and was allocated service number 2651, initially serving with the Reserves because of his youth. He stated that he lived at 4 Barber Street, Macclesfield and his next-of-kin was his father, who lived at 40 Windmill Street, Macclesfield.
He was posted to France on 30 August 1916, sailing from Southampton, and was transferred on 10 September 1916 to the 1st Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment with service number 49366. Private Jones was promoted to Lance-Corporal on 26 May 1917 and to Acting Corporal on 8 September 1917.
Corporal Jones was wounded in the thighs and right arm on 5 October 1917 and died of his wounds at No 41 Casualty Clearing Station the next day.
COMMEMORATION
Corporal Fred Jones is buried in grave ref. I. L. 47. of the Godewaersvelde British Cemetery, Nord, France. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Corporal Fred Jones, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
Locally, Fred Jones is commemorated on the Macclesfield Park Green, Town Hall, St Michael's Church and St Peter's Church war memorials.
The floral tributes laid when the Macclesfield Park Green War Memorial was unveiled on 21 September 1921 included one with the words “Fred Jones. Ever remembered.”
SOURCES
WW1 British Army Service Records 1914-1920
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Lives of the First World War website
Macclesfield Courier: 24 September 1921
Research by Rosie Rowley, Macclesfield.