Loftus William Jones VC

Name: Loftus William Jones

Conflict: First World War

Gazetted: March 6, 1917

Service: Royal Navy

Place/date of birth: Petersfield, Hampshire/November 13, 1879

Rank when awarded VC (and later highest rank): Commander

Date of bravery: May 31, 1916

London Gazette citation:

The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the posthumous grant of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officer in recognition of his most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in the course of the Battle of Jutland. The full facts have only now been ascertained.

Commander Loftus William Jones, R.N. (killed in action).

On the afternoon of the 31st May, 1916, during the action, Commander Jones in H.M.S. “Shark,” Torpedo Boat Destroyer, led a division of Destroyers to attack the enemy Battle Cruiser Squadron. In the course of this attack a shell hit the “Shark’s” bridge, putting the steering gear out of order, and very shortly afterwards another shell disabled the main engines, leaving the vessel helpless. The Commanding Officer of another Destroyer, seeing the “Shark’s” plight, came between her and the enemy and offered assistance, but was warned by Commander Jones not to run the risk of being almost certainly sunk in trying to help him. Commander Jones, though wounded in the leg, went aft to help connect and man the after wheel. Meanwhile the forecastle gun with its crew had been blown away, and the same fate soon afterwards befell the after gun and crew. Commander Jones then went to the midship and only remaining gun, and personally assisted in keeping it in action. All this time the “Shark” was subjected to very heavy fire from enemy light cruisers and destroyers at short range. The gun’s crew of the midship gun was reduced to three, of whom an Able Seaman was soon badly wounded in the leg. A few minutes later Commander Jones was hit by a shell, which took off his leg above the knee, but he continued to give orders to his gun’s crew, while a Chief Stoker improvised a tourniquet round his thigh. Noticing that the Ensign was not properly hoisted, he gave orders for another to be hoisted. Soon afterwards, seeing that the ship could not survive much longer, and as a German Destroyer was closing, he gave orders for the surviving members of the crew to put on lifebelts. Almost immediately after this order had been given, the “Shark” was struck by a torpedo and sank. Commander Jones was unfortunately not amongst the few survivors from the “Shark,” who were picked up by a neutral vessel in the night.

Click here to see full Gazette entry.

Other decorations: N/A

Place/date of death: At sea, near Jutland, Denmark/ May 31, 1916

Grave/memorials: Kviberg Cemetery, Gothenburg, Sweden; St Peter’s Church, Petersfield, Hampshire; War Memorial, Petersfield, Hampshire

Origin of VC to the Lord Ashcroft collection: Purchased privately, 2012

Current location of VC: Displayed on rotation at The Lord Ashcroft Gallery: Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, Imperial War Museum