The fall and winter of 1915-1916 saw the 15th Battalion in the Ploegsteert area and on April 16th it was in Brigade Reserve with its various sub-units dispersed in locations at Woodcote Farm, Bedford House, Café Belge, Chateau Dugouts and Swan Chateau. While in reserve units were frequently required to provide working parties for a variety of tasks in the forward lines, the 15th’s War Diary reports that these tasks were particularly heavy during this period. Two men named Jones were killed during this period one of whom was Private William Jones who fatally wounded by shrapnel on April 17th near The Chateau.
The other Private Jones was 77725 Private David Reid Jones, a 29 year plumber from Vancouver, BC with pre-war service in the 102nd Regiment (Rocky Mountain Rangers)who attested into the 30th Battalion in November 1914. He joined the 15th Battalion in early May 1915 as part of the large reinforcement draft from the 30th Battalion that helped to bring the battalion back up to field strength following the heavy losses at 2nd Ypres in April. Private Jones was in No. 1 Company at Festubert in May and throughout the tour in the Ploegsteert area that winter and spring. On April 23rd he suffered a Gun Shot Wound to the chest and died at a dressing Station shortly thereafter. He is buried in Bedford House Military Cemetery.
NOK: Mrs Jones (M) 829 Homer St., Vancouver, BC
