Jaeffreson RP L/Cpl. H.A.C is in fact Lance-Corporal Ronald Percy Jeaffreson of the Honorable Artillery Company, and he had the 'Holy Family' stained glass window in the church dedicated to him.
The following is taken from the 1922 book 'Pedigree of the Jeaffreson Family with Notes and Memoirs' by Marie Therese Jeaffreson. I have put a transcription of the book on the internet here: http://adaminspace.googlepages.com/jeaffresonbook
Ronald Percy Jeaffreson joined the Honourable Artillery Company as a volunteer in September, 1915, a few weeks before his 18th birthday. He chose the Infantry, as he was very anxious to be with his brother Bryan. He was put into the 3rd Battalion, but hoped later to get a transfer to the 1st Battalion. His first camp was at Blackheath, but he was soon sent to Richmond, where the two battaions were in training together, and for a short time the brothers occupied the same billet, until Bryan, in January, 1916, was drafted to France.
As boys under 19 years of age were found to be not matured enough to endure the strenuous life of active service abroad, Ronald was kept back, doing duty in England, until the following October, when he was sent to join the 2nd Battalion in Flanders. Having crossed the Channel, he spent his 19th birthday (October 5th) travelling for several hours with 40 men in a cattle-truck on the railway to the trenches. He at once took up duty in the trenches, and, before the 15th, was on guard looking out for an attack by gas. On November 12th he wrote - "We have been on the move again, and are a considerable distance from the firing -line. I am very well, and have got used, more or less, to this life. I find a private's life is much harder than I expected, and am sorry for many reasons that I did not take a commission when I had the opportunity."
The 2nd Battalion was following up and doing very much the same work as the 1st Battalion. All December, and until the middle of January, was spent in the trenches, the weather was very trying, cold and wet. Then they had a short rest, which was spent lying in barns, without any fires, in extremely cold weather. It was just at this time that Bryan was near enough to come over to see Ronald for a few hours. This was the only time the brothers met whilst in France, though Ronald was eager to get into the 1st Battalion to be with Bryan, but the exchange had been delayed. At the beginning of February the frost broke and mud took its place, this condition was very unpleasant, but preferable, when the only shelter from the cold was a barn.
In April, Ronald was having hard work and exciting times in the firing-line. The Germans were on retreat, and the H.A.C. were following them up, digging themselves into the earth as they went on, making little shanties to sleep in at night. It was very cold and miserably wet. On April 6th he wrote - "I have never worked so hard in all my life. Being planted in the middle of a field, with no cover, we had to dig furiously to get down into the earth to protect ourselves from the shells and cold wind. I worked hard all night and had to stop at day-break. We were very thankful all the next day for the work we had done during the night, as we had fine cover." About the middle of April he was promoted to be Lance-Corporal, and continued in the firing-line all through the month, sending post-cards almost daily to his anxious parents to say that he was well. The last one received was dated May 1st - then there was silence. Soon the dreadful news arrived that he was "missing."
Thinking that he might have been taken prisoner, exhaustive enquiries were set on foot, but, after some time had elapsed, the following facts were elicited, which destroyed the hope of ever seeing him again. The Battalion was at Bullecourt, in France, and an attack was ordered against a stronghold of the Hindenburg line. On the evening of May 3rd a small advance attack was made to draw the fire of the enemy's guns, in order to find out their position. Ronald's section went over the top of the trenches in the second wave, through a perfect hail of bullets and shells. Before they reached the Germans' second line of barbed wire the casualties were very heavy, but, in the darkness and smoke and general inferno, no one actually saw Ronald hit, only a big gap in the line was noticed. As the two men who were nearest to him were missing also, it was concluded that the three must have been struck directly by a shell or buried by one, as all trace of them was absolutely lost. The whole platoon felt very deeply his loss, as he was universally popular and loved by all.
His was a very lovable character, and a charming personality from earliest childhood. Affectionate, considerate, unselfish and deeply religious, he was a favourite with all who knew him. He was very musical, and as a boy, the possessor of a beautiful voice. For several years he was a member of the choir at St. Mary Magdalene, Enfield, where he generally sang the treble solos in the anthems, and sang with such feeling, that it was easy to realize that he fully meant what he sang. His parents placed a Memorial Stained-glass Window in this church, inscribed, "To the Glory of God, and in ever loving memory of our beloved son, Ronald Percy Jeaffreson, H.A.C., who was killed in action at Bullecourt, France, on the 3rd of May, 1917, aged 19 years." The subject is that of our Lord as a lad in the workshop at Nazareth.
