Harold Edgar JACKSON

JACKSON, Harold Edgar

Service Number: 941
Enlisted: 1 September 1914
Last Rank: Lance Corporal
Last Unit: 10th Infantry Battalion
Born: Craddock, South Australia, 11 January 1886
Home Town: Parkside, Unley, South Australia
Schooling: Willunga Public School, South Australia
Occupation: Carpenter
Died: Killed in Action, France, 7 May 1917, aged 31 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
Memorials: Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Myrtle Bank War Memorial, Riverton & District War Memorial Pool Memorial and Flagpole, Unley Arch of Remembrance
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World War 1 Service

1 Sep 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private
20 Oct 1914: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 941, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Adelaide
20 Oct 1914: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 941, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: ''
22 May 1915: Wounded 941, 10th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Wounded in action
1 Mar 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 10th Infantry Battalion
27 Jul 1916: Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 941, 10th Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm, Wounded in action and Hospitalised
7 May 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 941, 10th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second), Killed by a shell during a heavy German bombardment.
Date unknown: Involvement 941, 10th Infantry Battalion

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Biography contributed by Saint Ignatius' College

Harold Edgar Jackson was born on the 11th of January 1886. He was born in Craddock, South Australia and went to Willunga Public School. By the time he was 28 he was 5’7 in height, his weight was 68 kg, he had blue eyes, dark brown hair and followed the Church of England. As a 28-year-old carpenter living at 41 Jaffrey street, Parkside he enlisted for the Australian Imperial Force on the 1st of September 1914.

 

1 month and 20 days later Harold Edgar Jackson boarded the A11 Ascanius and from there he started his journey. A quick stop in Fremantle was made and the A11 Ascanius made its way to Alexandria, Egypt. Harold and the rest of the 10th Battalion he belonged to landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 25/04/1915 but two months later on 22/06/1915 he was wounded in action and was taken off the battlefield. Henever returned to Gallipoli, but spent the rest of the campaign in other locations: initially in Alexandria, Egypt, and then the 25/10/1915 Harold was (temporarily) transferred to The Essex Garrison Regiment in Mudros, a line infantry regiment of the British Army. On the 01/03/1916, now back with the 10th Battalion, Harold was appointed Lance Corporal and 26 days later he joined the British Expeditionary Forces in Alexandria. He arrived in France not long after and disembarked in Marseilles. A couple of months passed, and he suffered from a gunshot wound in his left thigh on the 22/08/1916 in France, at Mouquet Farm. Harold went to the Red Cross Hospital in France but had to be evacuated from France to England on the HS Newhaven on 27/08/1916. Harold was put in the Trent Bridge Hospital, Nottingham for 2 months and then he transferred to the Dartford Hospital on 18/10/1916. Harold spent about 6 months recovering from his wound but during that time he got scabies, so another month was added to his time in hospital. He went back to France on the 25/02/1917 and on the 02/03/1917 Harold marched out to the 10th Battalion in Etaples, France. Harold’s scabies came back, and he was hospitalized again from 02/04/1917 till 21/04/1917.Soon after Harold was put back on the field in Bullecourt, France. Unfortunately, on 11/05/1917 Harold Edgar Jackson was killed in action. Reports given to the Red Cross say he was killed by a shell during a heavy German bombardment.

 

After his death, according to Harold’s last will and testament all other wills made by Harold are revoked. He appointed Frederick George Cole of 19 Jaffrey Street to be his Executor and that his funeral, testamentary expenses and all debts are paid as soon as conveniently possible after his decease. He also requests that all of his real and personal estate is given to his mother, Alice Jackson. even though Harold had died, his mother was given a Victory Medal, British War Medal and a Memorial Plaque in his honour.

 

Harold Edgar Jackson was an excellent soldier who fought bravely in the First World War and is a perfect example of the Anzac Spirit. Harold was an ordinary man like any other who out of loyalty and bravery gave his life for his friends, family and country. Unlike some soldiers, Harold was not a deserter but a very loyal soldier. Harold stayed strong for 2 years of fighting in the war. The Anzac Spirit involves endurance, courage, bravery, discipline and mateship and Harold Edgar Jackson was all of those things. The Anzac Spirit was like a code for the Australian and New Zealander soldiers to follow. Anzacs were disciplined, resourceful and fought hard for their countries. At this point in time there are no longer any living Anzacs today but, in many ways, they still live on in the legacy, legend and spirit they left behind for us Australian and New Zealanders to be proud of. Harold Edgar Jackson passed away leaving that Anzac Spirit for all of us to be proud of.

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