Private Jesse Haynes
Died 16th August 1917, aged 17 years

Jesse was the youngest soldier from Church Stretton to be killed in action.

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He was born on 23rd March 1900, in Church Stretton.  His parents were Thomas Haynes, a farmer, and Annie Haynes formerly Griffiths. In 1901 Jesse was the youngest of 5 children who lived on the farm at Bullock Moor, All Stretton.

 

By 1911 Thomas was a "farm worker" rather than a "farmer - own account" as in the 1901 census.  There were now two more children, younger than Jesse.  All except Hannah, the eldest, were still at home on The Farm at Bullock Moor. Hannah had married Edward Smith in Ludlow in 1908.

 

At the time of writing I have been unable to find Jesse's enlistment papers.  The next record I have is of his death on Thursday 16th August 1917 when he would have been just 17 years and 4 months old. All the war records list him as being 16 years old! He was a Private in the 6th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry, Regimental number 32926.  He died in action in Ypres, Belgium and is buried in the Tyne Cot British Cemetery with over 11,000 other British soldiers.

 

From January 1918 until at least 1920 we find Jesse's war gratuities being paid to his mother, who is now Annie Daniels (formerly Haynes) living at 43, New Hall View, Brynfields, Ruabon, Wrexham.

 

This is a tragic story of Jesse, who had enlisted before he was officially old enough to do so and also of Annie whose husband Thomas had died on 15th December 1916, aged 58, just 8 months before Jesse was killed.

 

Thomas's memorial is in Cunnery Road cemetery, Church Stretton.  The headstone also commemorates Jesse. The inscription reads "Duty Nobly Done”.

 

Annie Haynes married Edward J Daniels in Wrexham in the last months of 1919.  She continued to receive the small gratuities paid as a result of losing her son.