Born in Rushworth, Victoria on the 22nd of November 1896, George Jones came from a working class family. His father a 2nd generation gold miner, had plans to become a farmer and bought a property, but was killed in a mining accident not long after Jones' birth.

Life was hard for the Jones family, a mother trying to run a property as well as raise 8 children, the youngest 3 months the eldest 20 years of age. The eldest Jones boy went to work on a neighbouring property owned by the Mitchell family, its most famous daughter being Dame Nelle Melba.

As George grew, his interest of things mechanical was started by his brother Sam, who obtained a Bianchi, an early motor car that was one of the first in the area, George wrote, "It was then that I smelt benzine for the first time. I have never ceased to be excited by it." (1)

Jones was educated for the most at Rushworth State School, where among his class mates was Frank McNamara, who went on to be the first Australian pilot to be awarded the Victoria Cross. Jones left school in 1910 to help his family, and gained employment with Ted Armstrong a local carpenter, who taught George how to run a steam engine. His brother Sam by this stage had set up an automobile repair shop in Fitzroy, and invited George to work for him in 1912, George did not hesitate to take up this new position.

In 1913 Jones was compelled to enroll as a senior cadet in North Fitzroy as part of the Compulsory Military Training Scheme. During this period he performed mundane tasks such as guard duty and parade drills. When war broke out the following year, all the senior cadets enlisted in the A.I.F., George wrote, "We drank a toast to bloody war and quick promotions. Before many months had passed those men had all the war and blood they wanted in the hills and gullies of Gallipoli, and the mud of France." (1)

As part of the 9th Light Horse regiment Jones left for Gallipoli in July of 1915, in fact he and a group decided to tour Columbo against orders, sneaking off the ship through an open port hole. After a brief stay in Cairo, Jones landed at Gallipoli in September, his home for the next 3 months was a trench on Rhododendron Ridge, contracting the usual diseases such as dysentery and hepatitis. On the night of December 12, George and his mates were evacuated off Gallipoli.

Life after the trenches of Gallipoli was boring for George, endless drills and exercises, he attended a class for NCOs. Relief came when an opportunity arose to transfer to the Camel Corps, it was here Jones' life was to change. He met a friend Nugget Balfour, who used to visit Sam's workshop in Fitzroy, Nugget told Jones that he was a mechanic in the Australian Flying Corps, No. 1 Squadron. Jones was immediately interested, so much so that when applications where invited in Routine Orders a couple of months later, Jones jumped at the opportunity.

In October 1916 he joined No.1 Squadron, at Kantar, he had to sit a trade test, but was taken on as a 2nd Class Air Mechanic. It was here he met Richard "Dickie" Williams, later Air Marshall Sir Richard Williams, an incident which almost ended Jones' embryonic career in the AFC. He was fitting a new motor to a BE2.a, and sand flies were getting in his eyes and nose, Jones swore, and Williams was in ear shot and severely reprimanded him. His only saving grace that he was selected by Major Oswald Watt to go to France with No.2 Squadron.

Whilst with No.2 Squadron, Jones was promoted to 1st Class Air Mechanic, at about the same time applications were invited to anyone who was interested in becoming a pilot. Jones, after much thought, left his application until the last day. Summoned before Oswald Watt, he was asked why he had left his application until so late, Jones replied that he felt it would be necessary to have a recommendation from some one at least the rank of colonel, to which Watt replied that if he had such a recommendation, he would put them in the waste paper basket.

Jones was selected and sent to basic training which started at Queens College, Oxford, and ended at a gunnery school in Scotland. He was posted to No.4 Squadron AFC, which was working up to operational strength, flying mostly Avro 504K's and Sopwith Pup's. On the 22 November he graduated as a pilot and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, he first flew a Camel in December of the same year.

He was ready for active service early in 1918 and made his first combat flight with No.4 Squadron on 2 February. Jones was to score his first victory later that same month. It was over an Albatross DV, Jones wrote, "We ran into a German patrol of Albatross D5's. They were flying about 1000 feet above us and I saw their leader come diving down on Courtney. I dived on the German, firing my two Vickers machine guns continuously, and I got so close to him that his aircraft filled the whole of the lens of my Aldis sight." (1)

Jones hit the pilot causing the Albatros into a vertical dive, Jones followed seeing the right hand lower wing break off, about 1000 feet from the ground, it was then that Jones realised that he was being fired at from another E.A., he circled very rapidly and headed for home.

On March 24, Jones was flying escort with 'Tab' Pflaum, they were escorting a DH.4 on a photographic mission. 2 Pfalz scouts attacked the DH.4, not seeing its escort, Jones and Pflaum attacked immediately, the 2 Pfalz's turned, dived and headed east. After forming up, Jones noticed a train, which was carrying German troops to the front, the Camels that Jones and Pflaum were armed with four bombs each, so Jones signaled to Pflaum and they bombed and strafed the train. During one strafing run Jones noticed his plane hit by machine gun fire, he scanned the skies around him but could not see any hostile aircraft, it was too late when he realised that the fire was coming from below, one round passed through his petrol tank, into Jones' back and passing through him exiting his left side. He leveled out and at full throttle headed for his aerodrome. He arrived right on dusk, landed without further damage to his plane, and taxied it to the hanger yelling at the mechanics to get him out of the plane before he bled to death. His flight suit was soaked with fuel, which in turn had burnt most of the skin off his back.

During his stay in hospital he was joined by his good friend John "Jack" Wright with the same kind of wound. He and Wright spent the next few months convalescing at Cobham Hall, in mid June they both were posted to the AFC Training Wing at Leighterton, as Instructors, Jones once again was under the command of Oswald Watt. Watt after a short while, arranged for both Jones and Wright to be transferred back to No.4 Squadron and they rejoined it at Rechlingham.

Over the next few months Jones was to partake in mainly straffing/bombing missions, in one particular mission over 80 aircraft bombed a German aerodrome. September was to see a change in Jones' fortunes. On the 6th and 10th he had victories over two Fokkers, both D7s, and then on the 24th a Halberstadt near Lens. As October came No.4 Squadron were re-equipped with the Snipe, Jones' last 3 victories were in the same Snipe serial number E8052. His fifth and sixth victories, again D7s, were to come a month later, but at a price, Jones on the same mission lost a good friend and in Jones' words "One of the bravest men I know (1).",Lieutenant Sims. Jones was awarded the DFC for this combat.

A week later on November 4, Jones scored his last victory, again it was over a Fokker D7, but the squadron had paid a heavy price that day, losing 5 more men, including the 'aces' Captain Baker 12 victories, and Lieutenant Palliser 7 victories, Jones wrote about Palliser, "He must have had a strong premonition that he would be killed, for he had spoken to me that morning about his imminent furlough. "I am due to return to Australia tomorrow, if I was only lucky enough to break my finger in the hanger door I would not be able to fly today." (1) In the space of a week Jones' flight had lost 5 out of 8 pilots.

Jones' war ended in the cockpit of his Snipe E8052, as they where ready to take off a local woman came running onto the field yelling that the war was over. No.4 Squadron could not go home just yet, they were selected to be part of the occupation forces in Germany, it was here that the squadron adopted a 9 year old Belgian boy which they christened Henri. Jones was asked to find the boy a pair of shoes, but the local shoe shop had no boots, and leather was in short supply. Jones finally got him a pair of shoes made from sheep skin.(2)

No.4 Squadron along with No.2 and No.3 came home aboard the Kaiser-1-Hind, arriving in Melbourne on 16 June 1919, a lone Maurice Farman, being piloted by Lieutenant Harold Treloar (of Half Flight fame) greeted them, Jones was demobilized almost immediately.

After the war Jones went back to working as a mechanic, but as luck would have it got a job delivering the Sunraysia Dailey along the Murray River. But this was not to last as he could not bring his wife and baby to live with him, so in despair he went back to Melbourne to work as a mechanic once again. He had been working there for about one year when Harry Cobby walked in. Jones was surprised to hear that Cobby had joined the then fledgling RAAF, Jones had not even considered it.

After an interview, Jones was granted a short commission on 24 August 1924. That short commission was to last 30 years, culminating in Jones being promoted to Air Marshall on May 5 1942, and he held that position until he retired in December 1951. 1954 saw Queen Elizabeth knight Jones. He later held position of director at the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation and later at Ansett Transport Industries.

Sir George Jones passed away 24 August 1992, not only was he the last surviving Australian Ace, he was also the last surviving leader of an airforce, either axis or allied, from WW2.

1. "From Private to Air Marshall: The autobiography of Air Marshall Sir George Jones KBE CB DFC."
2. Henri was taken back to England with the squadron, where one of the air mechanics smuggled him aboard the Kaiser-1-Hind, in a sack. He lived for some years with that air mechanic in Queensland and later came to Melbourne. Henri died at the age of 20 in a motor cycle accident.

This biography researched, written and contributed by Andrew Smith.