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Service No: 122023
Flight Lieutenant Owen Hafan Ellis JONES (122023), R.A.F.V.R., 601 Sqn.
Flight Lieutenant Jones has displayed great skill and courage in air operations.
He has completed very many sorties, including numerous successful attacks against enemy gun positions, tanks and locomotives.
On a number of occasions his aircraft has been hit by anti-aircraft fire but Fligh't Lieutenant Jones has never failed to press home his attack.
Cool, courageous and relentless in action, this officer has set a splendid example.
92 Squadron diary.
Later in the morning Flight Lieutenant O.H. Jones, whom we have neither seen nor heard of for nearly two months since he left us at Fano for a ‘social call’ on the A.O.C. Balkan Air Force, reappeared in a replacement Spit he had flown up from Brindisi. Two months of cooling his heels on the ground we hope for his sake, will cure him of his desire to roll a Spit at fifty feet even though he does it very well. With ‘Jonah’ and ‘Hutch’ back the Mess is beginning to take on its old shape again."
From the National Archives AIR/27/2072 601 Squadron ORB
24th Jan 1945
F/Lt. O.H.E. JONES (122023) RAFVR/GD, was posted from No. 92 Squadron w.e.f. today and took over command of ‘B’ Flight vice F/Lt. STIMPSON.
14th Feb 1945
During the first practice mission of the day, the formation of 4 aircraft investigated an aircraft which was believed enemy and while doing so they flew a little over enemy territory and enemy flak was encountered. F/Lt O.H.E. JONES and F/O T.E. JOHNSON both returned safely to base although their aircraft were (both) damaged by the flak.
13th Apr 1945 (PL489)
On the last armed recce of the day, F/Lt. O.H.E. Jones (122023) D.F.C. flying in Spitfire IX.E. HF. PL.489 was hit by moderate light ack ack. He was forced to bale out, and landed in ‘No mans land’ though luckily in our forward troops area. He was contacted and picked up and returned to their Coy.HQ. unhurt. The aircraft was a complete write off.
23rd Apr 1945 (PV300)
The other casualty was one of our Flight Commanders, F/Lt.O.H.E.Jones 122023 – who was hit by moderate light ack ack, and as a result of which he was compelled to abandon his aircraft – he baled out O.K. and landed safely in the vicinity of our forward troops who picked him up. Just prior to crashing his aircraft caught afire. He returned to the Unit unharmed – incidentally, this is the second time that F/Lt. Jones has had to bale out within a fortnight – both times being in ‘No Mans Land’.
10-Apr 1946
JONES, OWEN HAFAN ELLIS DFC; RAFVR (122023), age: 25
Flt Lt
He was killed whilst flying in Spitfire V, JF964 of No 92 Sqn, which crashed and burst into flames near Treviso in Italy after hitting the room of a barn whilst attempting a forced landing following an engine failure during an aerobatic practice. He is buried in Padua War Cemetery
