TRIBUTE TO ALLEN GODFREY JONES 1919-1959
Prisoner of War
My father was known as Bill. He was in the 4th Anti Tank regiment. The 50th Anniversary of my fathers death 21st September 2009. Always remembered .
In July 2005 I decided to put all his photos and letters on this tribute site
From his daughter Kathryn Jones-Lucas
Page 1 Army photos and service record
Page 2 His writings
Page 3 Biographical information
Site created July 2005
A prisoner of war at Changi, Great World Camp, River Valley Road Camp, Fukuoka #1 and #17
In July 2005 I decided to gather all my fathers photos, letters and mementos and put them up on this site. My father died in 1959 when I was 4 1/2 years old. My two brothers passed away in 1993 and my mother passed away in 1995.
My father was known as Bill.
December 2005
We had a road trip back to Victoria and I met as many Jones relatives as I could. I also visited my old family home and met my old neighbours some have been there since I was born. I only had to say "Hello I am Bill Jones daughter" and the response was always "Bill Jones was a wonderful man, he was always very happy and cheerful".
I am very proud of my father.
I also made contact with Jerry Shannon's daughters
January 2006
The letter below written from Dark to Buck I have given to John "Darkie" Morshead family as I know my father would be happy with my decision. I felt it now belonged to Darkies family.
March 2006
Seven of my fathers photos are now on the Australian War Memorial web site
My father's Service records
June 1941 Aboard Zealandia
1942 Listed as Missing believed POW
1943 Listed as POW
On 30th December 2005 we visited the Imperial Hotel in Melbourne looking for the 4th Anti Tank Plaque. No one in the hotel knew anything about it so we went looking. I found it high up on the wall. It reads
" In this corner on ANZAC Day 1946 was founded the 8th Div 4th Anti Tank Regiment (Imperial Sub Branch) Who drink here each Friday Night"
The following photos are copies from my fathers own personal photos
Group photo taken at Caulfield Racecourse Victoria July
1940. It was called Caulfield Camp
Malaya 1941
With help from The Australian War Memorial and 4th Anti tank association Colin Finkemeyer and Cliff Moss OAM I have been able to list the full names of some soldiers in my fathers photos.
Cecil Marriage, Noel Charles Gillespie, Terence John Ryan, Roger H T Campbell, Luther Stone, Jerry Shannon, Joe Chalker (Lloyd), John Wilfred "Dark" Morshead, Allan James "China" Knight, Cliff Moss, Dick Mumford, Johnny Gray, John Johnson (Indigineous soldier), Ken Fitch, Ken Lally
Photos read:
1. Aussies in Malaya
2. Dick, Johnny and Joe later died POW
3. Peter, Luther, C.Marriage (Died POW) and I
Dark and I Puckapunyal. (Dark is John Morshead)
1. Our troop on guard Malaya
2.Dark Malaya 3. Our Troop 4 River Malaya 1941
1.Dark, Jack, Luther and I (Jack died POW)
2. Jack, Dark, Peter, Ned, Noel, and Terry (Noel and Terry died POW)
3.Peter, Dot and I taken at Puckapunyal
4.Our troop taken on way to our battle stations Malaya 1941. Later eight died POW's Thailand
Dark, Peter, Roger (Later died POW)
1. AGJones foreground and Roger Hut
Malaya 2. After camp 1941
I have taken a couple of photos out of the album to scan better. The photos are over 60 years old and very small
It reads "H troop taken on way to our battle stations Malaya 1941. Later eight died POW's Thailand"
Back row- ?, ?, Tom Hallahan, ?, ?, Dark Morshead, George Young, ? Les venables, My father, Sgt Tubby Evans
Front row- Other names Arthur Jolly?, Sgt Norm "Sleepy" Hollow, "Pansy" Thomas
It reads "Taken in the ranks before going on guard. Peter ( brother) and I in the back rank" Malaya 1941
Jack, Dark, Peter, Ned, Noel, and Terry (Noel and Terry died POW
(Ned could be A B Lloyd)
It has M. J. Jones written on back who was my Uncle Peter Jones. "Troop back after camp 1941"
My father Bill Jones and Roger Campbell (Later died POW)
WARNING: In accordance with traditional laws often followed among Indigenous communities in Australia the imagery of deceased people may offend some people. Please note there are images below of people who may be deceased.
Puckapunyal Group photo 1941
Back row - Peter Jones, Unknown, Unknown, Ed Mc Pheron
Centre Row -Unknown, Murphy?, My father, John Johnson"Jacky", unknown, unknown
Front row -Unknown, Unknown
The original photo is very small. I had it enlarged years ago
My father's POW badge
Letter from my father to his mother in 1942. Obviously written before he was a POW. I have transcribed the letter below. Its amazing that he wrote it to his mother in 1942 and when she died it must have been returned to him. I was given this letter by my mother.
VX46238
Gnr Jones AG
4th Anti Tank
Malaya 30/01/1942
" My dear Mother
In answer to your most welcome letter, I received last night, one came for me and one for Peter and also a letter from Eric for Peter and another letter came this morning from you mother for Peter and I.
I can tell you dear Mother I was very pleased when the letters came. It has been such a time since we had a letter the 31st December was the last.
Up till now the food problem has been pretty decent. I haven't lost any weight yet.
Jack is in hospital at present. Dear Mother he has some fever. I guess it is malaria. Peter was saying he was shaken about by the bombs he was caught in the open, one day.
For a while, the truck used to bring our food around to us. Jack was getting the food this day and was taken by surprise the dive bombers came at them. They ran into some ruins and the bombs landed very close to him. Since then Peter said he hasn't been so good. I suppose the shock helped to bring on the fever. Poor old Jack he is a great scout.
I can tell you dear mother it isn't the best when down a hole and they start to dive bomb.
I can well imagine how Jack felt to be caught in the open. They use to machine gun us also. I did not mind the machine gunning but the bombing wasn't so good. We were never real close to any of the bombs but quite close enough for me. Some of our mates had narrow escapes. One chap was in a cement bath the people have them around their homes. He was in one of them this day and the bomb landed almost on to him, he could reach out and touch the crater the bomb made.
Another few feet and it would have been all over. One other of our mates was in a drain of some sort and a bomb landed about ten feet off him. He said he could hear it falling, he was covered in mud after the rain cleared and his steel hat was about five feet away from where he was.
The noise of the plane was more than the bomb they scream when they are diving we used to watch them diving if they were not too close.
You should see the locals carting their food away . They go right past us. At present there are some going by and where they are taking it dear mother I have no idea perhaps into the jungle away from the Japs. In some cases some will be taking the food to the Japs,quite a number do this. This place is full of that sort.
We aren't so very far from Singapore now and I have an idea we will be in Singapore before very long . It is about the only place left for us to go to. At present we are waiting for a few tanks or any thing else to show up we will then be able to try our old gun out so wish me good shooting dear mother.
This is a strange place just now a woman came along with two kero tins full of sugar. It is all she can do to carry them and over the other side of the road a man is telling her how to carry them. He has the great load of one coconut. It has me beat dear mother the men and women are just the same over here. In Aussie if we saw a woman carrying anything the first thing we would do would be to offer to carry what ever we could, but here no. They take no notice what ever, of a woman carrying a load.
I have seen the women with a little baby tied onto their backs and carrying some thing either on their heads or shoulders. It makes a chap feel glad we have a little freedom. Believe me dear mother give me dear old Aussie any time.
This is the first decent letter I have written to you dear mother for some time so I am making a job of it. All I hope is that it reaches you in good time "
The rest of the letter is missing.
My favorite part of his letter is the way he talks about the woman carrying the sugar all by herself.
Letter from his mother (My Grandmother) Christina Marion Jones to him dated July 23rd 1942.
Mrs C M Jones
Young Street
Holbrook NSW
Australia 23rd July 1942
My dear son Bill,
I am writing to you again just to say hello. All is well at home and I hope all is well with you, my dear son.
I wrote to Jack's mother this week and also intend to write to Shirley ? Bob's sister.
(There is just family information and then she ends the letter with)
Well my dear Bill I hope you are well and happy and that you and Peter are in good health. If you see Jack give him our kind regards.
Ella is well and at the same place. She and Vi wrote to you and Peter. I hope you will get our letters and now my dear Bill I will say cheerio.
Love from all at home my dear son
I remain your loving mother
Marion Jones
Newspaper article Sons return home to Holbrook NSW
Dark sitting, My father Bill Jones and brother Peter and ?
Letter from 'Dark" John Wilfred Morshead to my father written obviously during the war
"Dark" Morshead died 1953 Heidelberg, Victoria aged 46 son of James and Eva Morshead
There are a couple of photos of Dark with my father taken after the war. Will put these up soon. Ken Fitch and Ken Lally later died in service
Update January 2006
I have donated the letter from Dark to his family
My fathers recollection written 1947 as a prisoner of war at Changi and Fukuoka #1 camps and being free
Click Here for Page 2
Site made by Kathryn Jones-Lucas July 2005
