Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Leon was the younger son of Caroline and Henry Benjamin Jackson, born at Cowell on the west coast of SA on the 30th October, 1919 (although his memorial at Cowell states his birthdate as 1918). He had an older brother, Ronald Harry who was born on 19th December, 1914. Both boys attended the Cowell School, where Leon’s name regularly appeared in the exam honour list for grades VI and VII. He also was quite a collector of rogue bird eggs. At the time, there was a drive to eliminate sparrows and starlings which were a nuisance to the crops grown in the area, so youngsters were encouraged to collect the eggs with a prize being awarded at the local show for those who had amassed the greatest number from these species. In 1930 Leon had the largest collection of sparrow eggs and second largest of starling eggs, winning an award for his efforts.
Post school, Leon became a professional fisherman, with the waters off Cowell being renowned for their variety of fish including whiting, garfish, tommies, squid and flatheads.
With the outbreak of WWII older brother Ron was one of the early enlistees, on the 29th June, 1940, aged 25 and being allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Following pre-embarkation leave, Ron was part of the contingent which embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940 arriving in the Middle East on January 3rd, ‘41.
Soon after, aged 22 Leon enlisted in May ’41, having passed a medical test and was also allocated to the 2/48th Battalion as SX13300. Then Corporal Leon Jackson spent pre-embarkation leave in Cowell in August, before heading for the Middle East in September ’41, arriving on the 10th February ‘42. Ron regularly wrote to his family, including his cousin, Thora Stoker who lived in Cowell. He made a wry comment about Leon’s observation of life at Woodside: ‘I had a letter from Leon at the same time as yours arrived and he doesn't seem to think much of Woodside. I know it's pretty crook up there, but he will find that he has worse to put up with if he ever gets to this place.’ This place was Africa. Soon after arriving in the Middle East, Leon reverted to Private in October.
He was fortunate to survive being wounded in action on the 1st August, ’42, sustaining gunshot wounds to his right leg and left knee plus burns to his right arm and hand, requiring extensive hospitalisation. While he was being treated, just two months later news of Ron’s death on the 30th October was received. Leon placed a tribute to Ron in the Advertiser: ‘JACKSON. —In memory of Ron, killed in action, Egypt. Oct. 30. —Inserted by brother Leon (AIF. abroad), and Mary. For ever we'll remember.’
Eventually Leon returning via Melbourne in February ’43. The Eyre's Peninsula Tribune reported that ‘Word was received in Cowell last week that Pte Leon Jackson had been wounded in the fighting in the Middle East. Pte Jackson, who enlisted from Cowell, is a son of Mrs L Fry of Melrose.’
John Glenn in ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’ recounted events at that time: ’The gun, the trench, the mine and the infantrymen had come into their own; the tank could no longer lord it over the battlefield. The one thing that Rommel had tried so hard to avoid was the settling down into mechanised static warfare on a stabilised front. And that was what, with the help of the 2/48th, had happened.’
Leon continued to battle ill health, including an upper respiratory tract infection and lasting effects of the gunshot wound to his knee. The debilitating effects of his wounds meant that he had significant time in various hospitals before being allocated to the Fire Squad at Wayville before, surprisingly, being adjudged fit for service in the Tropics.
He married Mary Jean on the 18th October ’43 with the young couple living at Parkside. Leon was able to return to Cowell on leave in May ’44. Three months later his son Peter was born on the 14th August ‘44 before Leon was eventually being discharged in November ’45. They later welcomed a daughter, Sally.
He and Mary continued to remember Ron each year with the memorial: ‘JACKSON In memory of Ron (Peter) 2/48th Bat Killed in action Oct 30 -31 1942 Tel el Eisa, Egypt. Remembered ever by his brother Leon (AIF) ret and Mary.’
Leon died on 28th January, 1984 and is remembered at the Cowell Cemetery. Mary Jean Jackson died in 29th October 2006 aged 86 and is also buried at Cowell.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.