Ronald Watcyn Jones
Memorial: South Gloucestershire war dead not on a local memorial
Regiment: Royal Air Force
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Flight lieutenant pilot
Parents: Watkin and Elsie Mabel Jones
Home address: 2 Knowsley Road Fishponds Bristol
Date of birth: 04/07/1911
Date of death: 07/11/1940
Buried/Commemorated at: Mangotsfield Downend Cemetery
Age: 29
Further information:
Ronald was an only child and the son of a school master. He was educated at Bristol Grammar School where he joined the Officer Training Corps and was a keen sportsman, winning the School’s Athletic Challenge Cup in 1930. He went to St Catherine’s College Cambridge, took part in a variety of sports and academic clubs and gained a B.A., Hons. (Cantab.) in Maths and English in 1933. Whilst there, in 1932 he was commissioned as an officer with the RAF Reserves and promoted to Flying Officer 18 months later. He was keen on motor racing and in 1935 won a prestigious cup from Cambridge University Automobile Club. He was called up in 1939, entered training at Cranwell and was posted to an operational squadron in July 1940. He was promoted to flight lieutenant in October 1940, the month before his death. On the day of his death Ronald was piloting Wellington Bomber ICR 3289 from RAF Newmarket on a bombing mission to the Ruhr in Germany, when it was shot down shortly after take-off and crashed 150 yards from Coast Road Felixstowe. Five crew members including Ronald were killed and the 6th was listed as missing.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
http://aircrewremembered.com/jones-ronald.html