Beschreibung:

A remarkable family group to three brothers all of whom were killed or died of wounds during the Great War: Private Theophilis Jones, 18th (Pals) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, killed in the bombardment of Hartlepool on 16 December 1914, the first soldier to be killed on British soil by enemy action in the Great War British War Medal 1914-20 (295 Pte. T. Jones. Durh. L.I.) in named card box of issue with forwarding slip and registered packet addressed to his mother, Mrs L. Jones, together with several local news cuttings and a Book of Common Prayer presented to him on 2 October 1914 by his pupils, this deeply embedded with a piece of iron shrapnel and khaki uniform Private Alfred Jones 18th (Pals) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, killed in action at Gavrelle, Arras on 3 May 1917 British War and Victory Medals (18-1419 Pte. A. Jones. Durh. L.I.) in named card boxes of issue with named forwarding slips addressed to Mrs L. Jones Sergeant Herbert ‘Bert’ Jones, 1st Grenadier Guards, who received the Royal Victorian Bronze Medal for services with the King’s Company at the funeral of King Edward VII, and who was mortally wounded whist winning the D.C.M. in October 1917 Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (11916 Sjt: H. Jones. 1/G. Gds:); 1914 Star, with clasp (11916 Pte. H. Jones. 1/G. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals (11916 Sjt. H. Jones. G. Gds.) the last three with named card boxes of issue; Royal Victorian Medal, E.VII.R., Bronze, unnamed as issued, together with Buckingham Palace certificate for R.V.M., a ‘Pass’ dated 5 September 1914 signed by Edward, Prince of Wales, then a Major in the regiment, and associated news cuttings, the R.V.M. a little polished, therefore very fine, otherwise all medals extremely fine (8) £1400-1800 Footnote Theophilis Jones resigned from his position as Headmaster of the Thringstone Church Day School on 2 October 1914 in order to enlist into the 18th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. According to one of the accompanying news cuttings, ‘Shortly after the outbreak of the war he returned north and joined the “Pals” Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. He was on guard at the Lighthouse Battery, Hartlepool, when the bombardment commenced. One of the first shells fired dropped right among the guard, killing five of the men outright.’ He is buried in Stranton Cemetery, Hartlepool, and is widely recognised as being the first British soldier to be killed by enemy fire, on mainland Britain. There was a report, printed on Christmas Day 1914 of a remarkable circumstance concerning the death of Mr Jones: ‘A prayer book given to the late schoolmaster on leaving Thringstone was pierced by a piece of shell. The deceased was carrying the book in the breast pocket of his tunic and but for the other wounds the book would have saved his life. The iron fragment of the shell penetrated about halfway through the book which is of a fair thickness, and also firmly adhered to the cover of the book was a piece of khaki cloth from the tunic, held by the shell.’ Medal Index Card confirms sole entitlement of the British War Medal. Alfred Jones Private, 18th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, was killed in action on 3 May 1917, and is commemorated by name on the Arras Memorial. He was aged 27, son of Mrs Leslie Jones of 44, Ashgrove Avenue, West Hartlepool. Accompanied by a small photograph taken in France, the back inscribed ‘Gavrelle. The place where the 18th DLI and 15th West Yorks were wiped out. May 3/1917’. Herbert Jones was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in bronze for services when a Private in the King’s Company, 1st Grenadier Guards, at the funeral of King Edward VII. The award of the D.C.M. was announced in the London Gazette of 4 March 1918: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as acting C.S.M. during an advance. Company headquarters was set on fire by an enemy sniper, who hit some Very lights, and all personnel had to evacuate to shell holes. He dashed into the fire and endeavoured to pull