Conwyn Mansel-Jones VC CMG DSO

b. 14/06/1871 Beddington, Surrey. d. 29/05/1942 Brockenhurst, Hampshire.

Conwyn Mansel-Jones (1871-1942) was born at Beddington, Surrey, on 14th June 1871, the youngest son of Herbert Riversdale Mansel-Jones, a County Court judge, and Emilia, daughter of John Davis, of Cranbrook Park, Essex. He was educated at Haileybury College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, being commissioned into the Prince of Wales’ Own West Yorkshire Regiment on 8th October 1890.

Conwyn Mansel-Jones
VC CMG DSO

He served with his regiment in the Ashanti Expedition of 1895-1896, and in British Central Africa in 1898-1899, and he took part in the Expedition against Quamba in August and September 1899, under the Foreign Office. He had been promoted to Captain on 20th March that year, and on the outbreak of the Second Boer War, he re-joined his regiment in Natal, and would be awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions (London Gazette, 27th July 1900) on Terrace Hill.

On the 27th February, 1900, during the assault on Terrace Hill, north of the Tugela, in Natal, the companies of the West Yorkshire Regiment on the northern slope of the hill met with a severe shell, Vickers-Maxim, and rifle fire, and their advance was for a few moments checked. Captain C. Mansel-Jones, however, by his strong initiative, restored confidence, and, in spite of his falling very seriously wounded, the men took the whole ridge without further check, this Officer’s self-sacrificing devotion to duty at a critical moment having averted what might have proved a serious check to the whole assault.

He was presented with his medal on 20th August 1900 at Osborne House, Isle of Wight by Queen Victoria. He was then appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General for Recruiting at Headquarters from 1901-1906; Recruiting Officer for the London area from 1903-1910, and was placed on retired pay on account of ill-health, caused by his wounds, on 9th March 1910.

In 1913 he married Marion, daughter of William Barton-Wright and he changed his career and was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 1914. On the outbreak of the Great War he was mobilised and proceeded with the Expeditionary Force to France as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General at General HQ (3rd Echelon) becoming Assistant Adjutant General and temporary Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army in December 1915. He served throughout the War in France. He was awarded the DSO on 3rd June 1915. In 1917 he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel by brevet; and created a Legion d’Honneur by the French. In 1918 he was awarded the CMG and was six times mentioned in despatches.

Following the Great War, little is known about his later life, except that he retired to Hampshire. He was a member of the Honorary Corps of Gentlemen at Arms from 1920 until his death. He died on 29th May 1942 in Brockenhurst, and was buried in the parish churchyard of St Nicholas. His medals are not publicly held.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: NOT PUBLICLY HELD.

BURIAL PLACE: ST NICHOLAS CHURCHYARD, BROCKENHURST, HAMPSHIRE.