Five: Petty Officer W. P. Jones, Royal Naval Reserve and Mercantile Marine

1914-15 Star (D.1679, W. P. Jones, L.S., R.N.R.); British War Medal 1914-20 (1679D. W. P. Jones. P.O. R.N.R.); Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914-18 (William P. Jones); Victory Medal 1914-19 (1679D. W. P. Jones. P.O. R.N.R.); Royal Naval Reserve L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (D.1679. W. P. Jones , Sean. R.N.R.) mounted court-style for display, generally very fine (5) £120-£160

William Paynter Jones was born in the village of Llanfallog on the Isle of Anglesey on 8 March 1874. A longstanding member of Royal Naval Reserve, he was awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal at Southampton on 30 July 1912 and later served during the Great War aboard a variety of armed merchant cruisers. Raised Petty Officer 23 October 1916, Jones was subsequently transferred to duties as Boatswain aboard the Algerine-class salvage vessel Ranger which had been commandeered by the Admiralty. Released from strength 6 March 1920, Jones returned to employment as Bosun in the Merchant Navy and later caught the attention of The Shields News on 12 January 1937, when called as witness at the trial of Edward Charles Ridgway of Taunton, who was charged with the murder of James Burns aboard the Cunard-White Star liner Berengaria; describing both the deceased and the knifeman as intoxicated, Jones was fortunate not to suffer a similar fate after arguing with Ridgway who was in a ‘foul mood’.