Papers of Commodore Gerald Norman Jones CBE, DSO

Papers and some personal effects of Commodore Gerald Norman Jones CBE, DSO. The collection comprises of some personal papers and photographs but mainly relates to his career at sea.

Commodore Gerald Norman Jones CBE, DSO, b.30 May 1885 in the School House, Llanarmon in co.Denbs.the youngest of a family of six sons and a daughter, children of Humphrey Bradley Jones 'Garmonydd' and Lucy his wife. From the age of 1-11 he lived in Holyhead where his father was head of the British School and it was there that he became fascinated by the sailing ships in the harbour. In March 1902, living in Tregeiniog in the Berwyn mountains, he went to Liverpool to join the Charles and John Star Wolf ship Glenesslin. His father died 17 January 1905. From 1902 to 1909 he served in sailing ships including in the Conway Castle, Ladye Doris and the Marjory Glen and moved from apprentice to First Mate. At the end of 1909 with his Master's certificate he went into steamships first with Alfred Holfs Blue Funnel Liner Telamon and then the White Star Line from 1911, first in Suevic [sister ship to the Titanic -Gerald Norman Jones should have been on the Titanic but was moved to Suevic] and with them he sailed to Australia and New Zealand and then the Atlantic. In 1912 he became a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve and the battleship London. In 1914 he was called up for Naval service and served off the Belgian coast and Gallipoli. In January 1916 he married Flora McGregor of Mold. In 1916 he was sent to torpedo boat destroyers as First Lieutenant and was at Jutland. Later he commanded the destroyer Sprightly in the North Sea and in April 1917 was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. In 1919 he was back with the White Star Line. In December of that year while serving as Second officer in the Regina he volunteered to take charge of a lifeboat to take the crew off the Messina in the Atlantic. He received the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society's Silver Medal for this rescue. In September 1924 when Chief Officer of the SS Bardic that ship was wrecked off Lizard Point, Cornwall and the crew were rescued by the local lifeboat. He then returned to the Royal Navy and served as Chief Watch on the Royal Oak in 1925. In 1930 he went to Kings Marine College, Commander 1929, Captain 1935 before returning to White Star Line. At the outbreak of the Second World War he returned to the Royal Navy firstly as a Liaison Officer and was made a Commodore of Convoys In 1944 he was in charge of combined British and American convoys through the Mediterranean. For a time he was commanding officer of HMS Attack Coastal Forces training depot and after the fall of Germany was appointed N.O.I.C Lamlash. In 1946 he was awarded the C.B.E, invalided out of the Navy and returned to Cunard White Star ships. He went out as Staff Captain of the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Aquitania then Master of the Ascania, Franconia and Pathia. He retired to Deganwy in 1947. He wrote for daily papers, published short stories and articles in various magazines and gave lectures. See also Sea Breezes May, Aug., Oct., Dec.1955, March, July, Nov., Dec.1956.

Dim cyfyngiadau/ No Restrictions

Adnau preifat / Private deposit.

Os gwelwch yn dda archebwch y dogfenau gan ddefnyddio y rhif cyfeirnod amgen (lle ddarperidd) / Please order documents using the alternative reference number (where provided)

Mae copiau clawr caled o`r catalogau ar gael yn Archifdy Ynys Môn ac yn y Gofrestr Cenedlaethol Archifau. Polisi Gwasanaeth Archifdy Ynys Môn yw catalogio yn iaith y ddogfen./Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Archifau Ynys Môn / Anglesey Archivesand the National Register of Archives. It is the policy of Gwasanaeth Archifau Ynys Môn / Anglesey Archives to catalogue in the language of the document.

Cyflwr da /Good condition

Compiled by Amanda Sweet for Archifdy Ynys Môn using the following source: Archifdy Ynys Môn/Anglesey Record Office, WD9

Mae'r holl gofnodiadau sy'n cydymffurfio â pholisi casglu Swyddfa Gofnodi Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn wedi eu cadw /All records which meet the collection policy of the Anglesey Archives have been retained.

Ni ddisgwylir croniadau/Accruals are not expected