Captain Jeffrey Russell Bavington JONES (129445)
Lincolnshire Regiment attached to B Company, 16th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

Date of birth: 27th August 1911
Date of death: 9th March 1943

Died of wounds aged 31
Buried at Massicault War Cemetery in Tunisia Plot VI Row A Grave 7
He was born at Dover on the 27th of August 1911, the son of Russell France Bavington-Jones, proprietor of the Dover Express newspaper, and Katherine Elizabeth (nee Day) of 45, Park Avenue, Dover, Kent.

He was educated at the Junior King's School from September 1921 and at the King's School Canterbury from January 1925 to July 1929.

On leaving school he studied law and became a barrister and lived in lodgings at 47, Rowan Cottages, Aldenham Avenue, Watford.

On the outbreak of war he joined an Officer Cadet Training Unit and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Lincolnshire Regiment on the 20th of April 1940. In July 1940 he was attached to the 16th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry on its formation. He was promoted to Captain in 1943 and was second in command of B Company.

On the 26th of February 1943 the 16th Battalion Durham Light Infantry were resting at Sedjenane in Tunisia, having spent six weeks in the frontline. During the afternoon the Germans attacked and overran nearby positions held by a French unit. The Durhams were hastily organised for a counter attack and they moved out of Sedjenane across a small bridge and spread out on to the plain beyond with A Company in the lead and B and D Companies behind with C Company in reserve.
Fighting began at 6.10am the following morning with further attacks by C, B and D Companies in the afternoon seeing some ground being gained. The next two days fighting saw the ground being held and at dawn on the 2nd of March the Durhams attacked again, assaulting the positions of Dejebel Guerba and Hill 231 but were forced back with heavy casualties. That evening they were withdrawn to Djebel Aboid.

During this action Jeffrey Bavington-Jones was wounded and captured by the Germans. He died a few days later as a prisoner of war.

He was married to Joan Mary (nee Leggett) on the 20th of April 1940 at Christ Church, Radlett and they had a son Robin.

He is commemorated in the Dover Book of Remembrance.
 

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