Edward Jones

He enlisted in the Special Reserve 17/11/1909 standing 5' 2" and weighing 106 lbs. He was placed in 4th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). He was mobilised 26/10/1914 and arrived in France 16/3/1915. 2/10/1915 he was declared a deserter rejoining from desertion 31/10/1915 (circumstances unknown). He was awarded 14 days detention and forfeited 30 days' pay. He was wounded twice - 17/5/1915 with a shrapnel wound to the arm and 20/11/1917 with a gun shot wound to the thigh. On 24th April, he returned to France, being posted, initially to 12th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, and then to 2nd Battalion on 3rd May. In June, he was one of those who contracted flu in the first wave of the Spanish Influenza pandemic, being admitted to 16th Field Ambulance on 27th June before being transferred to 10th Casualty Clearing Station on 2nd July. On 24th July, he was still receiving treatment by now in 44th Casualty Clearing Station. At 11.10 p.m., the camp was attacked by German aircraft and Jones was killed when hit in the chest by machine gun fire. He is buried in Croix Rouge Military Cemetery Edward Jones's personal effects returned to his widow were - 'disc, letter, photo, wallet, cigarette case, waist belt, watch (broken), chain, 9ct gold ring with stone, pair of gloves, holdall, 3 razors, shaving brush, bomb badge' Ethel Jones was awarded a weekly pension of 29/7d with effect from10/2/1919 for herself and three children. His Army Service Record survives.

Special Reserve This was a form of part-time soldiering, in some ways similar to the Territorial Force. Men would enlist into the Special Reserve for 6 years and had to accept the possibility of being called up in the event of a general mobilisation and otherwise undertake all the same conditions as men of the Army Reserve. Their period as a Special Reservist started with six months full-time training (paid the same as a regular) and they had 3-4 weeks training per year thereafter. A man who had not served as a regular could extend his SR service by up to four years but could not serve beyond the age of 40. A former regular soldier who had completed his Army Reserve term could also re-enlist as a Special Reservist and serve up to the age of 42. All regiments had a unit (or more) dedicated to the administration and training of the Special Reservists. Research by David Nunn