Captain mystery

[Danibagz]

Hi
We have a mystery in our family that I can't seem to solve.
My 2x great grandfather David Stanley Jones b. 1891 in Carmarthenshire died in 1958 and he has the title of captain on his gravestone but I don't know how he earned that title.
He was a grenadier guard in ww1 (reg no 15650) after ww1 he was a police officer in Norfolk constabulary but only made Constable
I wondered if anyone had access to ww2 records to see if this is where he acquired the title or if it was a lie that got believed enough to be put on his gravestone
Thanks
Danielle

[CaroleW]

There is a 1939 register entry in Surrey where the occ is shown as a reserve officer - regular army

If you know his full birthdate you can check if its the right person.

Nothing in Norfolk in 1939

[Danibagz]

Thank you

It's 15th April 1891
I guess he could have been stationed anywhere in ww2
I have his police records so I know he was in Norfolk in 1931 and also he died in Norfolk in 1958 but the bit in-between is unknown

[Andy J2022]

The birth date fits the man staying in the Royal Hotel, Guildford in September 1939 who Carole found. He is one of three Reserve Officers of the Regular Army staying in the hotel which leads me to suspect that they have already been called up and are staying locally ready for embodiment.  A check of the London Gazette should reveal more about his commission and his Regiment or Corps.

Interestingly there doesn't appear to be a WW! medal index card for a David Stanley Jones with the number 15650. This could be because, either he never served overseas which seems unlikely, or he was commissioned during the war and received his medals under his officer number.  Unfortunately there are too many David S Joneses who fought in the First World War to point to him as an officer. He would not necessarily have been commissioned into the Grenadier Guards (indeed I think it is highly unlikely).

[GrahamSimons]

Have you found his police record? It might bridge the gap....
https://www.norfolk.police.uk/police-forces/norfolk-constabulary/areas/about-us/about-us/our-history/

[Andy J2022]

On the question of his rank, at the end of WW2 it was customary to allow officers to adopt any acting rank they may have held during hostilities, so it is possible that his actual rank was Lieutenant or even Second Lieutenant, and for his gravestone to still be technically correct.

[Danibagz]

I have his police records and he was a bit of a bad boy being demoted to constable by 1931

I have a marriage certificate for one of his daughter's that I didn't realise I had ordered months ago that says he his occupation was a lieutenant in the Queen's own regiment so I suspect that may be the answer

Thank you everyone

[Andy J2022]

Based on his Regimental number 15650 in the Grenadier Guards, he would have enlisted between 13 and 26 March 1911 (see Paul Nixon's excellent Army Service Numbers website

[Andy J2022]

I have a marriage certificate for one of his daughter's that I didn't realise I had ordered months ago that says he his occupation was a lieutenant in the Queen's own regiment

The Regimental Headquarters of the Queen's Own (West Surrey) Regiment was Stoughton Barracks, The Royal Hotel where he was staying in September 1939 was located in Stoughton. I suspect the Officers Mess was full because of all the reserve officers who had been called up.