JACQUES John Robert

Appears in the Worcester/Worcestershire Roll of Honour Book for army casualties located in Worcester Cathedral.

John Jacques was born at Rugby on the 27th January 1880 and lived in Stourbridge at some point in his life. He also enlisted as a regular soldier in the 7th Dragoon Guards. By 1914, however, he had emigrated to Winnipeg, Canada, was married to Ethel and was trading as a shipper. He volunteered at the outbreak of war for the Canadian Expeditionary Force and joined Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment). With his military experience he was soon promoted to Company Sergeant Major. The Canadians were in the front line by the Spring of 1915 and in 1916 were stationed at Vimy Ridge. This was always a closely contested area of the Western Front and on the 15th September he was killed in action. John Jacques is also listed on Stourbridge St Thomas’s Church memorial.

John Jaques enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 24th August 1914 in Ottawa, Canada. On his attestation form he gave his date of birth as 27th January 1880 in Rugby, England and his next of kin as his wife, Ethel Jacques, 563 Alexander Ave, Winnipeg. He had previous military experience with the 7th Dragoon Guards. John was 5 feet 9½ inches tall with hazel eyes, brown hair and a ruddy complexion.

National Archives of Canada Reference: RG150, Accession 1992-93/166 Box 4765 – 7

The Canada War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty) record the following information on C.S.M. John Jaques:
“Killed in Action”
While in the Sunken Road near Courcelette, he was instantly killed by enemy shell fire.

The Canada Commonwealth War Graves Registers record the following information on C.S.M. John Jaques:
Killed in action. Place of Burial: S.W. of Courcelette 5 miles N.E. of Albert. Vimy Memorial.

John Jaques served as a Private in the 7th (Princess Royal’s) Dragoon Guards, Service No 4369, during the Boer War 1899 to 1902.  He was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal Clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Belfast.

A John Jaques, adult male, single, occupation Labourer, sailed from Liverpool to Halifax, Canada on 15th March 1907 on the Victorian. This information MAY relate to this casualty.

John Jacques has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on the Vimy Memorial.