22-year-old Corporal David Jelfs, 26th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment was killed in action in the Balkans on 13th September 1918.
Born in Bretforton, Honeybourne, Worcestershire on 23rd November 1895, he was the second of the nine children (three sons, six daughters) of parents Harry and Matilda (née Gillett), who had married at Bretforton in 1893.
Harry’s older brother, George Jelfs (1856-1941) had married Matilda’s older sister, Emily Gillett (1861-1909) in 1880.
At the time of Harry and Matilda’s marriage in 1893, Harry was listed as a labourer “late in the Army.”
Harry Jelfs (1860-1950) was a garden labourer at the time of David’s birth but by 1901 he was working as a stockman on a farm in Claines. The family moved to Bickenhill by 1903, but were living in Redditch at the time of the 1911 census. It seems they had moved to Kings Norton by 1915 and Marston Green Lane, Elmdon by January 1919.
At the time of the 1921 census Harry and Matilda were again in Elmdon, with their three youngest children – Ruby Violet (aged 11), Margaret Joyce (aged 8) and one-year-old Victor Charles, who had been born in Paxford, Worcestershire. Harry was working as a cowman for farmer, William Markham, at Whar Hall.
David had left the family home by 1911 although we haven’t been able to find him on the 1911 census. There is a 15-year-old David Jeffs, born somewhere in Worcestershire, recorded as a stock boy on Allspath Hall Farm, Allesley, so it is possible that this is actually David Jelfs, but it’s not certain.
David Jelfs enlisted in the Army on 19th December 1915, aged 20 years and 30 days, giving his occupation as a carter and his address as Lifford Lane, Kings Norton, which was his parents’ home at the time.
He was posted to Salonika and first entered a theatre of war on 12th August 1916.
He was promoted Corporal on 8th June 1918 and went for Lewis Gun training in August 1918. He rejoined his battalion on 7th September 1918 and was killed less than a week later.
The War Office wrote to his mother on Christmas Eve, 1918, enclosing three pounds, four shillings and eight pence due to Mrs Jelfs as her son’s sole legatee according to his will. His personal effects, including a belt, two pioneer badges, photos, letters, and cards, were received by his mother at Marston Green Lane, Elmdon in February 1919.
A pension entitlement card gives his mother’s address as Elmdon Terrace.
David Jelfs was originally buried at Hadzi Bari Mah Military Cemetery, Greece but was re-buried in 1919 at Karasouli Military Cemetery, Greece. He is also commemorated locally on Elmdon war memorial.
The headstone on his grave at Karasouli, pictured at the top of this page, is a Commonwealth War Graves pedestal marker. These were often used in areas where the soil and weather conditions wouldn’t support a standard upright headstone, or where the Commission didn’t have permission to erect a standard headstone.
In March 1919, David’s parents were sent a letter from Private T. C. Winterton, Middlesex Regiment, who described David as his “best comrade” and said they were more like brothers than friends, commenting that he missed David very much. Private Winterton said that he was with David to the end, and also attended his burial service with permission from their commanding officer.
He had hoped to be sent home so that he could give Mrs Jelfs David’s belongings, including a war savings certificate that David had asked him to look after. However, the company had been posted to Russia and Private Winterton feared that it would be some time before he would be able to return to England so he sent the items by post instead.
David’s parents are buried at Mickleton, Gloucestershire and a memorial inscription to David is included on their gravestone.
David’s elder brother, Harry Thomas Jelfs (1893-1977), a spring maker by trade, also served in the First World War. He joined the Royal Navy on 4th April 1913, becoming a Leading Stoker. He was still listed as serving with the Royal Navy at the time of the 1938 electoral register and also served during the Second World War.
David’s youngest brother, Victor Charles Jelfs (1919-1985), was born the year after David was killed. A farm labourer by trade, Victor became a Gunner with the Royal Artillery during the Second World War and was captured by the Japanese in Singapore in 1942, being held for three years as a prisoner of war.
All photographs on this page are courtesy of Paul R. Hughes, great-nephew of David Jelfs.
If you have any further information, please let us know.
Tracey
Heritage & Local Studies Librarian
tel.: 0121 704 6977
email: heritage@solihull.gov.uk
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