Re-Dedication of Tribute To Wrexham Doctor Killed In First World War

A special service to re-dedicate a plaque commemorating a Wrexham Doctor who was killed in France during the First World War, will take place tomorrow.

On Armistice Day (November 11th) a service will take place in the Chapel at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital to re-dedicate a plaque commemorating Dr Thomas William Jones, Wrexham’s former Medical Officer of Health, who was killed in service in France during the First World War.

Dr Jones was also Superintendent of the former Fever Hospital and at the outbreak of the War worked in the Croesnewydd Infirmary, part of which was taken over to serve as the Croesnewydd Military Hospital.

These hospitals occupied part of the site of what is now Wrexham Maelor Hospital and the plaque had been installed in the Recreation Hall building, which for many years served as the Hospital Chapel.

However as the Maelor Hospital developed, and with the construction of the new Chapel which opened in 1994, the Recreation Hall was put to different uses and now acts as the main receiving and storage point for supplies coming into the Hospital.

With 2014 marking the centenary of the start of the Great War, members of the Hospital’s Portering Team suggested that the plaque should be retrieved and placed on more prominent display, and it is being moved to the Hospital Chapel this weekend.

This led Porters Mervyn Nott, Ralph Hewitt and Andy Williams to start research into Dr Jones and the circumstances of his death.

Originally from Rhosllanerchrugog, ‘Tom’ Jones was educated at Ruabon Grammar School and studied Medicine at the University of Liverpool, graduating in 1908. His medical career began with surgical and obstetric jobs in a number of the city’s hospitals. He then took a role as resident Medical Officer in one of Liverpool’s fever hospitals and spent six months on a study into public health administration.

He returned to North Wales in December 1912 when he was appointed as the Medical Officer of Health for the Rural District of Wrexham. In that position he produced reports on an epidemic of Typhoid fever in Rhosymedre in 1913, and on housing conditions in Broughton, published in 1915.

He was a member of the Square and Compass Lodge of Freemasons, Wrexham and a keen Welsh Nationalist. In April 1913 he married Deborah (known as Debbie) Evans from Penycae and they had a daughter, Iola. At the time of his death the family lived in Foster Road in Wrexham.

He offered himself for service at the outbreak of the War but initially the Local Government Board refused to sanction this as his medical work locally was considered indispensible. However a national change of policy in July 1916 opened the way for his release and he obtained a commission as a Lieutenant with the Royal Army Medical Corps, attached to the 27th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. In November 1916 he was sent over to France.

Dr Jones died during the Battle of in Arras in northern France on 11 March 1917, aged 31. Along with a chaplain and another soldier he had left the shelter of a house to go the assistance of a soldier in the street who had been wounded by a shell. Tragically all three were killed when another shell landed in the street.

Dr Jones is buried in the Faubourg D’amiens Cemetery in Arras.

The service will begin at 10:45am in the Chapel, close to the Hospital’s Main Entrance tomorrow morning.