2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
14/06/1885
Died:
04/05/1918 (Prisoner of War)
Age:
32
Summary
William John Jeffs was the son of Robert and Amelia Jeffs. William was born in Dungannon about 1885. William John Jeffs was the husband of Margaret Letitia Jeffs. They married about 1908. The 1911 census shows they were living in Brook Street, South Side, Dungannon. William was a labourer. William Jeffs enlisted in Partick, Scotland on 2nd June 1916 with the Royal Scots Fusiliers. After 6 months training, Private Jeffs went abroad in January 1917. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers at Etaples in January 1917. Private Jeffs was captured and made a prisoner of war on 23rd April 1917, Private William John Jeffs was died in a prisoner of war camp in Hamburg, Germany on 4th May 1918. He was 35 years old.
Further Information
William John Jeffs was the eldest son of Robert and Amelia Jeffs. Robert Jeffs married Amelia Archer on 4th September 1884 in the district of Dungannon.
William Jeffs was born in Dungannon on 14th June 1885. He was the oldest of seven children, four surviving.
Family: Robert Jeffs, Amelia Jeffs, William John Jeffs (born 14th June 1885), Mary Jeffs (born 8th July 1888, died 13th January 1889), Robert Jeffs (born 13th January 1890, died 19th April 1890), Robert Jeffs (born 12th February 1892), Joseph Jeffs (born 5th October 1893), James Jeffs (born 27th October 1895, died 26th January 1896), Anne Jane Jeffs (born 31st March 1897).
The 1901 census lists William John as age 16 living with the family at house 1 in Lisnaclin, Bernagh, Tyrone. His father, Robert Jeffs, was a labourer.
William John Jeffs was the husband of Margaret Letitia Jeffs. They married about 1908.
The 1911 census shows they were living in Brook Street, South Side, Dungannon. William was a labourer.
William's younger brother, Private Robert Jeffs, died at Gallipoli in August 1915 of illness.
William Jeffs enlisted in Partick, Scotland on 2nd June 1916 with the 4th Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. He gave his age on enlistment as 30 years and 5 ˝ months.
1917
After six months training, Private Jeffs went abroad on 11th January 1917, moving from Folkestone to Boulogne.
Private Jeffs arrived in Etaples on 13th January. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers on the 29th January 1917.
Private Jeffs was captured and made a prisoner of war on 23rd April 1917,
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 11th June 1917:
Private William John Jeffs, Royal Scottish Fusiliers, missing, is the eldest son of Mr Robert Jeffs, Gortmerron, Bush Road, Dungannon.
From the Tyrone Courier dated Thursday 14 June 1917: Missing
Private William John Jeffs, Scots Fusiliers, missing, is the eldest son of Mr Robert Jeffs, Gortmerron.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 28th July 1917:
Private William J Jeffs, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Bush Road, Dungannon, formerly reported missing, is now reported a prisoner of war in Germany.
Some records show Private William John Jeffs was officially declared a prisoner of war on 2nd August 1917.
At the time of his capture, his wife resided at 17 Clyde Street, Partick, Glasgow.
1918
Private William John Jeffs died in a prisoner of war camp in Hamburg, Germany on 4th May 1918. He was 33 years old.
The literal translation of the German doctor’s report was that he died ‘as a result of ventricular flagellum after blind inflammation.’
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 2nd July 1918:
Private William John Jeffs, Royal Scots Fusiliers, who has died in hospital in Germany after being a prisoner of war for over fourteen months, is the eldest son of Mr Robert Jeffs, Bush road, Dungannon. His brother, Private Robert Jeffs, Royal Army Medical Corps (R.A.M.C.), died of enteric fever during the Gallipoli campaign.
From the Tyrone Courier and Dungannon News dated Thursday 4 July 1918: Dungannon Soldier dies in Germany
Mr Robert Jeffs, Bush Road, Dungannon, has received intimation that his eldest son, Private William John Jeffs, Royal Scottish Fusiliers, who was made a prisoner of war on 23rd April 1917, has died recently in hospital at Gustrow in Mecklenburg, Germany. His wife resides at 17 Clyde Street, Partick, Glasgow. Mr Jeffs' second son, Private Robert Jeffs, Royal Army Medical Corps (R.A.M.C.), died of enteric fever during the Gallipoli campaign.
Red Cross WW1 Prisoner of War Records
Below are the Red Cross WW1 Prisoner of War Records relating to Private W J Jeffs
Memorials
Private William John Jeffs is buried in the War Cemetery in Hamburg, Germany.
Private William Jeffs is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial and on the WWI Roll of Honour in St Anne's Church Of Ireland in Dungannon.
The CWGC records Private W J Jeffs as the husband of Margaret L Jeffs of Barrack Street, Dungannon, County Tyrone.
