John Arnold Jones 1044

SAPPER JOHN ARNOLD JONES

1044 – 3rd Tunnelling Company

John (Jack) Arnold Jones stated he was born in Rhondda Valley, South Wales in 1876 the son of Sarah Jane Jones. They both came to Western Australia. There is a miner listed as John A. Jones in Cue, W.A. in 1906 and from 1910 to 1914 in the Electoral Rolls is John Jones, a miner at Collieburn, W.A. In 1915 a miner named John Jones was residing at Coombe Street, Collie, W.A.

At the recruiting depot in Kalgoorlie, W.A. on April 12, 1915 the thirty-nine year old unmarried miner applied to enlist for active service abroad. Passing the preliminary medical examination personal particulars taken show his postal address care of Mrs Sarah Jones of Post Office, Collie, W.A. and was 173cms (5ft 8ins) tall with a chest measurement of 82-89cms (32½-35ins). The eye sight test showed he has poor vision in his brown eyes. Doctor noted he had several scars on his abdomen and back and old syphilitic cicatrices (mouth or tongue ulcerated sores). Declared fit his application was accepted by the recruiting officer.

Attestation forms describe him further as weighing 65kgs (144lbs) with a dark complexion, dark eyes and black hair. Distinctive marks were four vaccination scars on his left arm. Religion was Church of England. Next-of-kin nominated was his mother Mrs Sarah Jane Jones of Collie, W.A. He was sworn in at Blackboy Hill camp, near Perth on October 14, 1915.

Basic training commenced with the 33rd Depot Battalion and was transferred from “B Coy” to “D Coy” for further training. On November 30, 1915 was transferred to the Mining Corps.

Recruiting for the Miners’ Corps officially began on December 1st, 1915 therefore Private Jones was placed for basic training at the Helena Vale camp at Blackboy Hill, W.A. with the newly forming Corps. The Unit’s title was the No. 3 Company with a major portion of No. 3 Company recruited by 2nd Lt. L.J. Coulter, A.I.F. who was sent from N.S.W. to W.A. for that purpose. They were made up to strength with 1 Officer and 274 Other Ranks and embarked from Fremantle, W.A.

On December 18, 1915 the company sailed for Sydney, NSW on board the troopship SS Indarra. His name appears on the passenger list which was published in:

On Boxing Day (Dec 26th), 1915 the Unit arrived in Sydney and marched into Casula Camp, near Liverpool, NSW. They were joined by the 4th Section of the Tasmanian Miners, bringing the establishment strength up to 15 officers and 349 Other Ranks under the command of 2nd Lieutenant L.J. Coulter.

Mining Corps Units from all Military districts came together at Casula camp, near Liverpool, NSW to complete training as a Corps. Jones was assigned the regimental number 1044 in the rank of Sapper and remained in No. 3 Company.

At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.

Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.

Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.

On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.

The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.

The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.

Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.

A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.

Four sections of the No. 3 Company were dispersed to various sectors for instructional training. On May 13, 1916 Sapper was assigned to No. 4 Section which was attached to the 254th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers.

Disciplinary action was taken for the following:

Offence: While on Active Service – drunk

Award: 7 days confined to billet 30/5/16

While working at Hill 70 on November 11, 1916 Sapper Jones fell down a mine shaft while on duty and taken to the 73rd Field Ambulance for treatment of his accidental injuries to his scalp and back.

The following is the extract from the Unit Diary of the 3rd Tunnelling Company for that period:

“At the beginning of November 1916, the Company received orders from the C.E. to relieve the 258th Coy R.E. in the Hill 70 Sector at LOOS in the 1st Corps 1st Army Area. The Company began to move to Bracquemont (near Noeux-le-Mines) to new billets. The complete removal of the Company was finished on 12/11/16.

The mining work at Hill 70 was all in hard chalk and much deeper than that carried out at Laventie.”

On November 12, 1916 was moved to the West Riding Casualty Clearing Station then conveyed on A.T. 26 to Camiers entering the 22nd General Hospital with contused back, shoulder and scalp resulting from an accident. Was sent to the 6th Convalescent Depot on November 24 and transferred to the Aust General Base Depot at Etaples for Base Duties “A”.

Sapper Jones was attached to the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion on December 11, 1916 which was an advanced section of the Base Depot that organised works near the lines and through duties, usually of ten days duration, would accustom the reinforcements to war conditions before being assigned to a company in the field.

The No. 3 Company was officially transferred to the 3rd Tunnelling Company in the field on December 18, 1916.

Base Records advised his mother on December 18, 1916 that her son had been accidentally wounded and included an address for correspondence.

On February 19, 1917 he marched out to join his unit arriving on February 23.

Further disciplinary action was issued for the following:

Crime: (1) Absent from Tattoo from 11pm 27/8/17

(2) Insolence to his superior officer 27/8/17

Award: (1) 7 days F.P. No. 1 [field punishment]

(2) 14 day F.O. No. 1 by Capt V. West 28/8/17

Total forfeiture: 14 days at 5 shillings £3 10s

Leave was granted from January 25, 1918 and he rejoined on February 10.

He was issued on February 20, 1918 with three Blue Chevrons to wear on his uniform for serving two years abroad.

He went sick to the 2nd Canadian Field Ambulance on February 26, 1918 with Synovitis right leg (tissue lining lubricating certain joints during movement becomes inflamed) and moved to the 1st Canadian Field Ambulance then later that day transferred to the 4th Canadian Field Ambulance. He was discharged from hospital to duty on March 4, 1918 and rejoined his unit.

A letter of thanks signed by all recipients of Comfort Fund gifts was returned and published in the:

He was with his unit when Peace was declared and the Tunnelling Companies remained on the front as part of the Army of Occupation assisting with rehabilitation of their district by defusing delayed-action mines and booby traps from roads and bridges left by the enemy.

In an audit of the company he was with his unit on December 16, 1918.

Leave from France was taken from December 27 until January 10, 1919 and rejoined two days later.

On February 6, 1919 orders were received to prepare for demobilisation and return to the Base Depot. The men left the A.G.B.D. on February 21, 1919 and crossed the English Channel marching into the Reserve Brigade Aust Artillery camp at Heytesbury the next day.

Sapper marched out on March 19, 1919 for the No. 2 Training Brigade at Codford.

After demobilisation Sapper Jones embarked for Australia on board H.T. Sardinia from Devonport, England on April 19, 1919. Base Records advised his mother on May 5, 1919 that he was on his way home. The ship docked at Fremantle (5th Military District) on May 28, 1919. News of the arrival was published in:

Military Discharge was issued in Perth (5th M.D.) on July 12, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment.

In 1921 he was residing at Bunbury Street, Collie working as a miner. His mother was at Coombe Street, Collie with her occupation listed as housekeeper.

For serving his country Sapper 1044 John Arnold Jones, 3rd Tunnelling Company was issued with the British War Medal (8142) and the Victory Medal (8108).

From 1925 to 1926 he is working at White Peak Quarries, Greenough district as a savvy.

The Perth branch of the Repatriation Department requested a Statement of his Service from Base Records which was sent on March 24, 1937.

On February 22, 1940 his Returned Serviceman’s Badge (237645) was returned to Base Records from the 5th Military District and placed ‘in store.’

He was mining at Wiluna, W.A. in 1943 and at Meekatharra with the occupation of miner in 1949.

John (Jack) Arnold Jones died on February 18, 1951 aged 75 years. Burial took place in Meekatharra Cemetery. The following was reported in the: