838099 Pte. Clarence Aubrey Jones, MM was born on June 12th, 1896, in the county of York, Ontario, and was working as a druggist in Owen Sound when hostilities broke out.


Clarence joined the two independent infantry companies being raised by the 31st (Grey) Regiment, for overseas service. When the 147th (Grey) Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force was authorized all the men of these two companies, including the then Sergeant Jones, were taken on strength of the new battalion on November 29th, 1915.


As the unit was being billeted locally over the winter, Clarence, being part of "A" Company would have lived at home with his parents Abraham and Mary. The 147th Battalion mobilized in Owen Sound in May of 1916, to finalize the administration and organization of the unit, just prior to their departure for Camp Niagara later that month for centralized training. As the conditions in this Camp were wanting the unit moved to the new training facility of Camp Borden in late June.


The unit received their orders to proceed overseas in September and while in route to Halifax, there was an outbreak of diphtheria and they were detained in Amherst, Nova Scotia, for over a month. The unit finally sailed for Great Britain, on November 14th 1916.


On January 1st, 1917, the 147th Battalion ceased to exist when it became the nucleus for the 8th Reserve Battalion, whose task it was to supply reinforcements to the 58th Battalion and the 4th C.M.R. Clarence would revert to Private at his own request so that he could see service on the battlefields of Europe, being taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. on September 27th, 1917. He was immediately sent to the Corps Reinforcement Camp and would not rejoin the unit until November 1st.


Serving with the unit through the harsh winter of 1917, he participated in the battles of the Final 100 days. On November 1st, 1918, during the Pursuit to Mons, the Canadian Corps participated in the Battle of Valenciennes. It was during this battle that Clarence was awarded the Military Medal. Local news papers reported that the award was made for, "Exceptional work while in charge of a raiding party near Valenciennes"


838099 Private Clarence Aubrey Jones saled home with the unit and took part in the parade down Toronto's Young Street and would be struck off strength of the 4th C.M.R. on March 20th, 1919. His service is remembered locally, in Owen Sound, on a memorial plaque found within then Georgian Shores United Church.




Biography credit: George Auer, with thanks.


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