A Great War group of three attributed to Lieutenant R. L. Jones, King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.), mounted court style for wear, nearly extremely fine (3) £500-600

M.C. London Gazette 27 July 1916. ‘Temp. 2nd Lt., 15th (attd. 10th) Bn. K.R. Rif. C.’ ‘For conspicuous gallantry when leading his party during a successful raid on the enemy’s trenches. After being wounded, he collected and reorganised his men under the parapet, thereby saving many casualties.’

Rhyss Llewellyn Jones was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant, 10th (Service) Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps on 9 September 1915. Promoted to Lieutenant in June 1916 and Captain in June 1917. Lieutenant Jones was wounded and was awarded the M.C. for his bravery in the raid on ‘The Mound’, 25/26 June 1916. As a Captain in the 10th Battalion K.R.R.C. he was captured by the Germans at Steenbeek, 11 August 1917. An extract from 10th Battalion War Records states: ‘A message was received from Captain Jones later, by pigeon, that he and 6 men were dug in on the east side of the Steenbeek and were surrounded. This was the last news we heard from him and it is believed that he and his party were made prisoners’. Jones retired from the Army in 1919 but rejoined as a 2nd Lieutenant in July 1941. Promoted to War Substantive Lieutenant and Temporary Captain in October 1941, he retired as an Honorary Captain in 1945.

Note: several men with the same initials, name and rank in the 1918 Army List.