Evan Jones

Evan Jones
St. Peter's Church
credit - findagrave

Some of the men buried at St. Peter’s Church, Cockett are remembered only in fragments, with few surviving records to tell their stories. One such man is Private Evan Jones, who served with the 6^th Battalion, Welsh Regiment and died on 27^th June 1916 in Glasgow.

Unfortunately, very little is known of Evan’s early life—his census records and family background remain unclear. His surviving military record shows only that he was attached to the 6^th (Service) Battalion, Welsh Regiment, a unit formed in August 1914 as part of Kitchener’s New Army. The battalion trained in Britain before joining the 25th Division and sailing for France in September 1915. Once on the Western Front, the 6th Welsh endured the hardships of trench warfare, holding sections of the line and taking part in fierce engagements that tested the resolve of recruits and veterans alike.

Evan’s death in June 1916 came just days before the opening of the Battle of the Somme, one of the bloodiest campaigns of the war. His passing in Glasgow, far from the front, suggests that he may have been wounded or fallen ill during service and was sent back to Britain for treatment at one of the city’s military hospitals, which were caring for large numbers of soldiers at that time.

Though his life and service remain largely hidden from the historical record, Private Evan Jones is not forgotten. His grave at St. Peter’s, Cockett, stands among those of his comrades, a lasting reminder of the many ordinary soldiers whose contributions were vital to the war effort, even if their stories were never fully recorded.