Originally Posted by at57
Hi,
His medals were auctioned in September 2013 but did not sell. Below are the auction details which makes several references to the RFC.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Andrew
A fine Great War Observer’s M.C. group of five awarded to Lieutenant R. N. K. Jones, Royal Air Force, late Army Service Corps and Royal Flying Corps, who was twice wounded in the course of numerous encounters with enemy aircraft while engaged on photographic reconnaissance work in 1916-18
Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse privately inscribed, ‘Lt. R. N. K. Jones, R.F.C., 18th July 1917’; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. R. N. K. Jones, A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut. R. N. K. Jones, R.A.F.); War Medal 1939-45.
Footnote
M.C. London Gazette 18 July 1917:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has done consistent good work in the taking of photographs under very adverse weather conditions, by his perseverance and determination he has set a very high standard of efficiency in the photographic work of this Squadron.’
Richard Neville Kenward Jones was born in July 1895, the son of a Master Draper who owned a large store in Chester’s “Rows”. Educated at St. Bee’s in Cumbria, young Richard was commissioned into the Army Service Corps direct from the school’s O.T.C. in September 1914, in which capacity he went out to France in the following year.
Transferring to the Royal Flying Corps, he was appointed a Flying Officer (Observer) in July 1916, and posted to No. 60 Squadron in France. Shortly after his arrival, however, the unit changed aircraft type and its Observers became redundant - but not before he had survived a crash on take-off in a Morane Biplane at St. Andre.
Next posted to No. 3 Squadron, operating out of La Houssoye in Morane Parasols, he no doubt made the acquaintance of fellow squadron members Cecil Lewis of Sagittarius Rising fame, and Charles Portal, the future Air Chief Marshal, and quickly made a name for himself as an Observer on photographic reconnaissance patrols, teaming-up with another distinguished pilot, namely 2nd Lieutenant Elmer Roberts, who ended the War with the D.F.C., M.C. and D.C.M.
In fact in the period mid-August to mid-November 1916, he flew 46 operational sorties with Roberts, a period that witnessed Jones taking to his gun to drive off enemy aircraft on a least a dozen occasions.
One of these latter actions appeared in R.F.C. Communique No. 56:
‘1 October 1916: 2nd Lieutenant Roberts and Lieutenant Jones, No. 3 Squadron, when taking photographs, were attacked by seven Rolands. The attack was driven off with the assistance of two F.Es who joined the fight. One of the Rolands, apparently hit by fire from one of the F.Es, fell in a nose dive and crashed.’
With Roberts’ loss in action while Jones was on leave, he went on to complete many more operational patrols, one of them, flown 3 May 1917, with Lieutenant Barrington as his pilot, ending with their Morane being hit by shell and rifle fire - the fuselage broke in two on landing. Having emerged from that wreckage, Jones sustained cuts and bruises to his nose and an eye following another crash-landing two days later.
He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 15 May 1917 refers), and recommended for a decoration by the Officer Commanding 15th Wing R.F.C. in the following terms:
‘I very strongly recommend this officer for a decoration. On coming to this Squadron I was impressed with the importance of improving the photography, which I was told was in no way satisfactory. For the past three or four months the Squadron has continually been complimented from numerous sources on its photographic work. The satisfactory results are almost entirely due to the efforts of Lieutenant Jones. He has taken photographs under great difficulties at times, and the attached gives a short history of the difficulties placed in his way by hostile aircraft. I think there are few who could be more deserving of a reward. His Pilot Lieutenant E.P. Roberts was brought down by hostile aircraft while Lieutenant Jones was on leave and sustained permanent injuries. He brought down one hostile aircraft this side of the line before his controls were shot away. He, Lieutenant Roberts, was recently awarded the M.C.’
Awarded the M.C., and rested as an instructor at No.5 School of Military Aeronautics at the completion of his tour, Jones returned to an operational footing in April 1918, when he joined No. 16 Squadron, an R.E. 8 unit, back out in France. Owing, however, to wounds received on patrol a few days later - burns to his hands - he was evacuated to England.
Rejoining No. 16 Squadron in mid-June 1918, he survived another four months of operational flying, up until being wounded on 18 October, when his R.E. 8 was hit by machine-gun fire from the ground - he was evacuated to the U.K. with a fractured right arm and saw no further action.
Demobilised in February 1919, Jones returned home to the family business in Chester, married Nasli Mary, and resided at “The Nook”, Quarry Lane, Kelsall, Cheshire. With the threat of hostilities looming, however, he enlisted as a Gunner in No. 290 Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery (T.A.), in April 1939, and was duly mobilised that September. Advanced to Sergeant, he served as a No.1 on a Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery throughout the Blitz on Liverpool, and was appointed to a commission on the Emergency Reserve in early 1941, following which he remained employed n A.A. duties up until his sudden death at Moston Hall Military Hospital in April 1942.
Described by his then C.O. as the epitome of Chaucer’s ‘verray parfit gentil knight’, who was worshipped by his young Gunners for his fearlessness and sense of humour, he was buried at Helsington;.
|