Private John William Alexander Jackson

Service number	588
Birth Date	1897-09-13
Birth Place	Australia: New South Wales, Hay
Death Date	1959-08-04
Death Place	Australia: Victoria, Melbourne, Heidelberg
Final Rank	Private
Service	Australian Imperial Force
Unit	17th Australian Infantry Battalion
Places	Heidelberg Hay
Conflict/Operation	First World War, 1914-1918
Gazettes	Biographical information They dared mightily. in 1963 Published in London Gazette in 1916-09-09 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1916-12-14

Description

An under-age William Jackson (1897-1959) enlisted from rural New South Wales in early 1915. He saw service on Gallipoli before shifting to France early the following year. While in the sector around Armentières, he was part of a fighting patrol that broke into the enemy lines. On withdrawing, the patrol came under intense fire and suffered casualties. Although he had got back safely, Jackson insisted on returning to recover wounded men until he too was badly hit, resulting in the amputation of his arm.

The postwar years were hard on this brave man. After a variety of jobs, he moved to Melbourne in 1953. He died in the Repatriation Hospital, Heidelberg, aged 61.

Collection items

Rolls

Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

Unit

17th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Private
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

Unit

17th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Private
Honours and Awards:

Unit

17th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Private

London Gazette

09 September 1916 on page 8870 at position 3

Commonwealth Gazette

14 December 1916 on page 3380 at position 7
First World War Embarkation Roll:

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Private
First World War Nominal Roll:

Unit

17th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Private

Timeline

Date of birth	13 September 1897
Date of birth	13 September 1897
Date of enlistment	15 February 1915
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs)	20 February 1915	17 Battalion.
Date of embarkation	12 May 1915
Date of honour or award	26 June 1916	Awarded Victoria Cross, for action at Bois Grenier, near Armentieres, France whilst serving with 17 Battalion, 5 Brigade, 2 Division as a Private
Date of recommendation honour or award	18 July 1916
Date returned to Australia	04 May 1917
Other	1917-09	Invalided to Australia, after being wounded in the action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Date of death	04 August 1959
Date of death	04 August 1959