207240 Pte. James Jones British Army South Staffordshire Regiment from:Gibsons Row, Chesterton, Staffordshire. My Grandfather James Jones was born in 1873. This story was told to my cousin by his Mother, daughter of James, James tried to join the North Staffs Regiment but was told he was to old, so he applied to the South Staffs and lied about his age and went out to Gallipoli. By this time my Grandmother back home had died and my Auntie age 16 was looking after 6 children.
In Gallipoli James and another soldier were told to get down the mountain to get supplies, on the way down they were stopped by a Australian troop, when asked what regiment they were in and why they were there, they were told by the Australian officer that the regiment they said they were in had been wiped out, so both were put on a charge.
Back home my Auntie got a letter saying James Jones was on trial for desertion. Back in Gallipoli a Sargent Woodvine who was wounded, turned up at the Aussie camp and tells them that both Privates were sent for more stores, and they were free to go.
From Gallipoli Granddad James was sent to India, he was taken very ill there, but when he arrived back at Gibsons Row Chesterton his Family could not believe their eyes when he walked in. He died 1956, but never told us the story. We would love to find out more about the story, and what troop he served with.
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