IAN MONTGOMERY JONES
11 June 1897 - 20 March 1915
At School 1910 - 1911
Pte 5137 20th Royal Fusiliers
Ian was born on 11th June 1897 at Cirencester, Gloucestershire and in 1901 was living at Hillside, Stratton, Cirencester with father Thomas, a Railway Clerk (Trafic), mother Marion, younger sister Agnese and one domestic servant. By 1911 the family had moved to 5 Chatsworth Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy and Thomas was working as an Insurance Secretary later becoming a Branch Manager of the General Accident Company. Ian entered School in 1910 aged 12 but did not stay long as, in in 1911 aged 13, he was a boarder at Bromsgrove School becoming a member of the OTC and making his mark as a rugby player.
Ian volunteered to join the 20th Royal Fusiliers, 3rd Public Schools Battalion, on the outbreak of war. The Battalion was raised at Epsom and located at Leatherhead for training. Unfortuately Ian contracted cerebro-spinal meningitis whilst training and died in the 3rd General Military Hospital, Wandsworth on 20 March 1915, aged just 17.
His body was taken back to Manchester and he was buried in Manchester Southern Cemetery with full military honours.
His Company Commander Captain T L Boyce wrote "He was a smart soldier, trusted by his officers and appreciated and liked by his comrades."
A comrade wrote " No man was, no man could be, better loved and respected , and no man ever merited our love and respect more than Ian."
He was gazetted 2nd Lieut, 5th Battn. Prince of Wales' Leinster Regiment on 29 September
1914, but being just only 17 had asked that the appointment might be cancelled for a few months.
Sir Charles Munro, 9th Baronet of Foulis-Obsdale (born 20th May 1795) was a Scottish Baronet and soldier. He was also chief of the Highland Clan Munro.
Sir Charles Munro was the son of George Munro of Culrain and a lineal descendant of Sir
George Munro, 1st of Newmore. Sir Charles was born in 1795 and educated at Edinburgh.
Sir Charles Munro entered the British Army as Ensign in the 45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment of
Foot, and served with much distinction, under the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington - who in the General Orders of Madrid described Sir Charles Munro as "one of the bravest officers
in the British Army", in the Peninsular Campaign, from 1810 to the conclusion of the war in 1815. He was badly wounded at the storming of Badajoz. As an acknowledgment of his distinguished services he was awarded a medal with seven clasps: for the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo (1812) (18th January 1812), Battle of Badajoz (6th April 1812), Battle of Salamanca (22nd July 1812), Battle of Nive (13th December 1813), Battle of Orthez (17th February 1814), and Battle of Toulouse (10th April 1814).Sir Charles Munro also served in the War of Independence in South America and in 1817 commanded the 1st Regiment of English Lancers in the service of Venezuela. In 1818 he served under the celebrated patriot, General Simon Bolivar.