John was born and raised in Bontddu, near Dolgellau Merionethshire. He lived with his parents Mr and Mrs Evan Jones in the village. There are two addresses recorded for John. One is Ty'nglanyrafon which appear in the scant records I have found of him but his address on Dolgellau's War Memorial is shown as Taicynhaeaf. I have been unable to establish why there is a difference.

There is very little recorded of John, in life and in death.

His family announced his death in y Dydd, Dolgellau's local newspaper on 28 April 1916. The announcement records that on 8 April the family received a letter that John had died of his wounds in hospital in France.

The article also says that John enlisted in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on 2 March 1915 and by september he was in France. He had written to his parents on a number of occasions and had related some of the battles he had been in. He had described his locations as "somewhere in France". The family recorded that they were grateful for all messages of condolence they had received.

There is no record of when, where or how John was wounded. I have been unable to establish his Battalion's location at the time of his death.

John is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery in France. He is commemorated on the War Memorials in Bontddu and in Dolgellau.

We will remember him.

 

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Emrys Tippett