'Tiger' Jones kept a diary of his wartime exploits

Ira 'Tiger' Jones shot down 40 enemy planes and survived 29 crashes in a career that could have come straight from the pages of the Boy's Own comic books.

He is buried at Cana Chapel near Bancyfelin, Carmarthenshire, but with no children to tend his grave, after 43 years the elements have left the lettering on his headstone unreadable.

Now the local British Legion and Royal Air Forces Association(RAFA) clubs have set up a trust fund to pay for the grave's upkeep and to ensure his name and memory live on.

Although only five-foot-four tall, Group Captain Jones became a legend among his colleagues and enemies for his daring actions.

He was one of the few to see combat in both world wars - a true hero of his time Trust fund spokesman

Born in 1896 at Llanddowror, near St Clears, he trained as a wireless operator and joined the Royal Flying Corps after war was declared in 1914.

He was soon posted to France where he ran the gauntlet of heavy fire to rescue badly-wounded soldiers by shoulder lifting them to safety and earning the Military Medal.

Fascinated by planes, he persuaded the RAF to try him out as a spotter. This involved sitting in the cockpit in front of the pilot, serving as navigator, target spotter, photographer, bomber and gunner.

He got his pilot's wings in 1918 and scored brought down 37 planes in just three months serving with 74 Squadron in France.

His marksmanship meant he became known as 'Tiger Taffy'.

The only wounds he ever suffered were self- inflicted as he had a habit of crashing aircraft when trying to land his aircraft.

He kept a day-to-day diary of his exploits which formed the basis of a number of articles he wrote for national newspapers and his own memoir, An Air-Fighters Scrap Book, published in 1938.

By the time war broke out again in 1939 'Tiger Taffy' Jones had been retired from the RAF for three years.

He was ordered back to serve but spent much of the conflict training young pilots although did see some 'unofficial action'.

In a madcap act of bravery he chased a German plane from Swansea in a training aircraft, armed only with a pistol.

Contributions

After the war he returned to St Clears and had a career in the Ministry of Pensions.

In 1960, at the age of 64, he died after falling down some stairs.

Now the fight is on to restore the war hero's gravestone to its rightful state.

A spokesman for the trust fund said they also aimed to pay for the up-keep of the grave.

"He was one of the few to see combat in both world wars - a true hero of his time.

"We want to ensure that his name lives on.