George Jones – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Artist
Leading Seaman George Jones – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Artist
Early Life
George Jones was born in 1883 in Llanguicke,
Glamorgan, the son of Stephen Jones and Mary Thomas, who
married in 1876 at the Holy Trinity Chapel, Llanguicke.Stephen Jones and Mary Thomas
marriage certificate
Holy Trinity Chapel, Llanguicke
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| 1891 Census |
The 1891 Census records the Jones family residing at 185a Thomas Street, Llanguicke. Stephen, aged 41, was employed as an Insurance Agent, while Mary, aged 38, was at home caring for their children: John (13), who worked at the Tin Works; Margaret A. (11); and George (8).
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| 1901 Census |
By 1901, the family was still living on Thomas Street. Stephen, now 51, continued as an Insurance Agent, and Mary was 48. Their children at home included John (23), a Tin Plate Worker; Margaret A. (21), employed as a Domestic Housemaid; George (18), also a Tin Plate Worker; and the youngest son, David (6). Mary’s father, John Thomas (69), was also part of the household.
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| 1911 Census |
During the following decade, Stephen passed away. By the 1911 Census, widow Mary Jones, aged 58, was living at 11 Woodland Road, Pontardawe, supported by private means. Her children still at home were John (33), a Weigher at the Tinworks; Margaret A. (31), assisting at home; and George (28), employed as a Shearer. The household also included nephew David S. Williams (16), niece Mary Williams (17), and Mary’s brother John Thomas (43).
Naval Service
In later years, George Jones enlisted in the Royal
Naval Volunteer Reserve, where he attained the rank of Leading Seaman.
He served aboard H.M.S. Artist during the First World War.
H.M.S. Artist
Although known in naval records as H.M.S. Artist
once taken into Admiralty service, the vessel had originally been the British
steamship Artist, a small auxiliary craft employed on patrol duties.
Her loss drew widespread public attention due to the tragic circumstances
surrounding the sinking and the suffering endured by her crew.
The Loss of the Steamship Artist
The Secretary of the Admiralty later issued an
official statement describing the ship’s fate. 27th January 1917,
while Artist was 48 miles from land and battling a heavy
easterly gale, she was torpedoed without warning by a German
submarine. The attack struck with such suddenness—and the weather was so
severe—that the ship began to sink almost immediately. Her wireless operator
managed to transmit a final distress message:
“SOS, sinking quickly.”
Auxiliary patrol craft were dispatched at once to her last
reported position, but despite thoroughly searching the area, no trace of
the vessel or any survivors could be found. For several days, the fate of
the crew remained unknown.
Three days later, the steamship Luchana discovered an
open boat drifting helplessly in rough seas. Inside were 16 exhausted
survivors. The boat had originally held 23 crewmen, but seven had
died from wounds and exposure during the three‑day ordeal and had been
buried at sea. Of the sixteen who remained alive, five were suffering from
severe frostbite, and another had a broken arm. The men had been
forced to abandon ship in the midst of a midwinter gale, with no
means of reaching safety.
Death and Commemoration
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| George Jones Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth credit - findagrave |
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