Captain Ernest Rae Jones was born at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, the son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Jones. On 10th November 1908 he married Geraldine Esme Belinda Prior in Lichfield Cathedral. She was born in the Barton Regis District of Gloucestershire, December quarter 1883, so was about 5 years younger than him. She was the daughter of Major-General John Edward Hale Prior of the Staffordshire Regiment, who died suddenly in January 1900 shortly before taking up command of the 15th Division in South Africa. In 1901, aged 17, she was a boarder at Eastbury House School, Watford, Herts. (In the September quarter 1920 Geraldine re-married, Robert Hall, in Lichfield.)

Currently Captain Jones' Army records are unavailable, and do not appear to have survived the Second World War bombing. The London Gazette (22 November 1898) detailed his joining the Regiment: ".. from the Local Military Forces, Canada, to be Second Lieutenant, in succession to Lieutenant W. Auchincloss, resigned. Dated 23rd November, 1898."  It is likely, therefore, that he served in the South African War. On 9th August 1907 he was made vice-Adjutant of the Regiment.

His Medal Index Card shows that at the outbreak of War and entered France 16 August 1914 having sailed from Belfast with the 1st Battalion as CO of 'D' Company. On the night of 23rd August the Battalion moved into position along the Mons-Valenciennes road, with 'D' Company on the right straddling the railway line.

Captain Jones was the Officer Commanding "D" Company, 1st Battalion, in position to the right of "A" Company during the Battle at Audregnies on the 24th August 1914. At about 3.45 pm the Battalions in action began to retire. Captain Jones, on the right flank with the support platoons of 'D' Company had also it seems, got news of the withdrawal from, presumably, stragglers out on his flanks, because he began to retire down the railway line.

The stragglers moved down the railway line towards the Bois d'Audregnies. They passed a small group of trees, then along a track in a field, into a hedge-bordered lane, then to pasture-land south-west of Wiheries. 'Here', writes Crookenden, 'they ran into the Magdeburg Regiment which was going into bivouac. Of those who remained Capt. Jones and Pte. E. Hogan were killed.' 

His gravestone bears the legend: "For his bravery he was given a military funeral by the Germans".

19

Edward was born in St Laurence's parish, Birkenhead, Cheshire, in the December quarter 1895, the 3rd child of Edward (Iron Driller) and Elizabeth Hogan. He had two older siblings, William and Catherine, and a younger brother, Joseph. In 1901 the family were living in Back St Anne's Street, Birkenhead, Cheshire. (1901 Census 13/3390) In 1911 (Census  RG 14/21401) he was an inmate at Bishop Browns Memorial School Convent, High Street, Stockport, an Industrial School for Catholic Boys. His stated occupation was 'Tailor's Machinist'.

Currently his Army records are unavailable, and do not appear to have survived the Second World War bombing; all that is known is that Thomas enlisted at  Stockport, Cheshire.

His Medal Index Card shows that at the outbreak of War and entered France on 16 August 1914. Captain Jones was the Officer Commanding "D" Company, 1st Battalion, in position to the right of Edward's "A" Company during the Battle at Audregnies on the 24th August 1914. At about 3.45 pm the Battalions in action began to retire. Captain Jones, on the right flank with the support platoons of 'D' Company had also it seems, got news of the withdrawal from, presumably, stragglers out on his flanks, because he began to retire down the railway line.

The stragglers moved down the railway line towards the Bois d'Audregnies. They passed a small group of trees, then along a track in a field, into a hedge-bordered lane, then to pasture-land south-west of Wiheries. 'Here', writes Crookenden, 'they ran into the Magdeburg Regiment which was going into bivouac. Of those who remained Capt. Jones and Pte. E. Hogan were killed.'  Edward was buried where he fell and later moved into the village Cemetery.

Photo (left) shows: March 1914 - 1st Battalions Drummers on visit to Chester from Londonderry for visit of King George V. (Dr. Hogan is 4th from right)

He was born on the 12th March 1877 at Tamar Terrace, Launceston in the County of Cornwall and was named Kingdon Tregosse Frost, his father was Denis Tregosse Frost a Solicitor by trade and his mother was Sophia Margaret Frost, formerly Messenger.

He was educated at Bath and Brasenose College, Oxford, BA in 1900, MA in 1905 and Lit B. in 1907.  From 1900 to 1901 he was a student of the British school at Athens, 1902 to 1904 a Tutor and Lecturer at Isleworth Training College.  He worked in Egypt from 1904 to 1905 with Prof Sir F Petrie.

The Royal Geographical Society made him a Fellow in 1905. 1905 to 1908 he worked in the Ministry of Education in Egypt and from 1908 to 1909 in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

From 1909 up to his death, he was a Lecturer on Archaeology and Ancient History at Queens University, Belfast.  A member of the Queen's O.T.C (2) unit of which he was a keen and much valued member.  In September 1912 he was gazetted to the 3rd (Special) Reserve Battalion The Cheshire Regiment and was commissioned a Lieutenant in the same unit on the 29 June 1913. When the Great War broke out he served as a reserve officer with the 1st Battalion at the front.

His Medal Index Card shows he entered France with the 1st Battalion on 16 August 1914 and his date of death recorded as 4th September. Research shows that there is no doubt he was killed in action on 24 August (CWGC records show 25th, but there seems little logic for this.)

Crookenden has this to say about Lt. Frost's death: 'This platoon (9 platoon 'C' Company under the command of Sgt. Raynor) received Dugmore's order to retire, but, on reaching the sunken road Raynor (and his corporal) were seized with misgivings, about the authenticity of the order. They did not therefore retire further but lined the bank on the roadside and opened fire on the enemy advancing in front and on their right. The shortage of ammunition, now acute, was causing the NCOs considerable anxiety and a further withdrawal seemed indicated. Just as the platoon was about to move off, some troops were seen to their right rear moving southwards. Lt. Frost, an officer of the Special Reserve who was attached to the platoon, volunteered to go and identify them. He did not return. He was seen later by a wounded officer of the 4 Dragoon Guards "fighting like a demon, having refused to surrender". Although wounded several times, he refused to give in and death alone overcame his indomitable spirit.'