This is one of a series of posts to mark the international Rugby players who served in, and survived, The Great War. If anyone has further information on the men concerned, I’d be most grateful if it could be added to the thread. Gareth Jones, John Phillips (‘Jack’) played for Wales Internationals: 14 : 1908 A+ ; 1909 E+ S+ F+ (2t) I+ (1t) ; 1910 F+ (1t) E- ; 1912 E- F+ (1t) ; 1913 F+ I+ (1t) ; 1920 F+ I+ ; 1921 E- John Jones was born on 2 March 1886 in Pontymoile. Played as a Centre/wing for: Christ’s College Brecon, Pontypool, London Welsh, Newport, Barbarians. Profession: Coal merchant War service: 767452, Private, 28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Artists’ Rifles). Jack, however, was unable to fire a rifle due to a broken collar bone sustained on the rugby field. He joined up sometime between 7 December 1917 and 24 January 1918. His battalion remained in Britain and formed an Officer’s Training School. Whether Jack was in this battalion to assist in the training of others or to be trained himself is unknown. Remarks: Brother of Internationals D P (‘Ponty’) [1 cap] and J P (‘Tuan’) Jones [1 cap] He died on 19 March 1951 in Newport.
John 'Jack' Phillip Jones was born in Pontymoile, Pontypool in 1886, to David Jones and his wife Margaret (nee Phillips). Jones was one of four brothers, who would all eventually play for Pontypool Rugby Club. Two of his brother, David and James, would, like Jack, eventually play international rugby for Wales. The Joneses along with the Goulds are the only family to provide three brothers to the Welsh international rugby union team. Jones was first capped, at centre, making his debut against Australia in December, 1908. He would play for Wales a further 13 times and would probably have been capped far more times but for the cessation of international rugby during the years of the First World War. Jones would play in two British Isles tours. The first was part of Arthur Harding's 1908 tour of Australasia, the second was to South Africa in 1910. (I believe I gave you this already ... but here it is again !) http://www.rugbyrelics.com/museum/biogs/wales/jones-jack-1908.htm
