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Flint

2 Stories - 3 Images - 2 Contributors
DMTX. Gordon Brown visits Flint to talk to students, councillors and party activists, accompanied by Delyn candidate David Hanson along with Alyn & Deeside candidate Mark Tamias as part of the General Election campaign. Flint, Wales,UK. 04/05/2010

Politics

Gordon Brown visits Flint

DMTX. Gordon Brown visits Flint to talk to students, councillors and party activists, accompanied by Delyn candidate David Hanson along with Alyn...

by Marchondownt... in United Kingdom on 04/05/2010

Photos of Captain George Jones and of one of his descendants holding a picture of his ship. Captain Jones was the skipper of a boat that battled with a German U-boat in WWI. 06/01/2010. UK. The grandson of a North Wales skipper who fought off a German u-boat was amazed to discover a plaque in memory of his grandfather's courage. Chris Leigh-Jones grew up in Prestatyn but now lives in the south coast town of Littlehampton where the battle took place during the First World War. Chris said he was visiting a local museum called the Look and Sea Centre when he noticed a plaque which had details of his own family history. His grandfather George Jones, from Flint, owned and captained a schooner called the Mary Ann Mandall which had bravely counter-attacked a u-boat three miles off the coast of Littlehampton. According to the plaque the Mary Ann and her sister ship the Mary Sinclair where approaching the harbour when the lone wolf surfaced nearby and started firing at them. 'The u-boat surfaced because it wasn't worth using a torpedo on schooners so they surfaced to shoot at them and they shot back,' said Chris. 'The Admiralty had mounted a six-pound gun by the hatch of the Mary Ann and they did hit the u-boat with it but they didn't put it out of business,' he said. As the battle raged the brave crews dodged the u-boat's heavy machine-guns and fought for their lives to protect their battered vessels. The u-boat scored a direct hit on the Mary Ann Mandall's foremast which crashed to the deck just missing the crew. As the German captain lined up for the kill a sharp-eyed look out on a Royal Navy cruiser spotted the scrap and raced to the scene. 'The battle lasted for an hour and a half and the Mary Ann Mandall lost its foremast which was shot off at the cross tree,' said Chris. 'When the cruiser came across the horizon at full speed the u-boat left as quick as it could. 'When I first saw the plaque I was surprised and felt a certain sense of pride that gave me a connection with North Wales,' he said. Chris phoned his mum Heather at home in Prestatyn to tell her the news of his discovery which rekindled wonderful memories for her from this forgotten era. George Jones was Heather's father-in-law and his wife Lilian both sailed ships from Connah's Quay carrying anything from coal to ammunition. 'At the age of seventeen Lilian took a schooner from Connah's Quay to Belfast with her own crew and got a cargo,' recalls Heather. 'She was a very, very wonderful person with an incredible memory and it's a shame she never wrote anything down. 'It's exciting really that his history is down somewhere. I knew about the battle but I didn't realise that it had been recorded anywhere. I was very surprised and felt very proud,' she said.

Society

Plaque commemorates brave WWI crew

DMTX. Photos of Captain George Jones and of one of his descendants holding a picture of his ship. Captain Jones was the skipper of a boat that...

by Geoff Abbott in United Kingdom on 06/01/2010

04/05/2010 - Gordon Brown visits Flint - United Kingdom - DMTX. Gordon Brown visits Flint to talk...

Latest News

Gordon Brown visits Flint

Politics

Gordon Brown visits Flint

DMTX. Gordon Brown visits Flint to talk to students, councillors and party activists, accompanied by Delyn candidate David Hanson along with Alyn & Deeside candidate Mark Tamias as ...
by Marchondowntheline, on 4th of May 2010
Plaque commemorates brave WWI crew

Society

Plaque commemorates brave WWI crew

DMTX. Photos of Captain George Jones and of one of his descendants holding a picture of his ship. Captain Jones was the skipper of a boat that battled with a German U-boat in WWI. 06/01...
by Geoff Abbott, on 6th of January 2010

Reporters