John William Alexander Jackson VC (1897 - 1959)

Born 13 Sep 1897 in Gunbar, New South Wales (Australia)

Ancestors

Husband of Ivy Muriel Alma (Morris) Jones — married 12 Jan 1932 (to 1953) in Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia

Died 4 Aug 1959 at age 61 in Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Bill Jackson VC is Notable.

Bill Jackson VC was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross for selfless courage under heavy fire while rescuing his comrades. His was the first VC to be awarded to an Australian on the Western Front. He is also the youngest Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

'Bill' Alexander VC

formative years

John William Alexander 'Bill' Jackson was born on 13th September 1897 on Glengower Station, Gunbar, on the road from Hay to West Wyalong, New South Wales (Australia). He was the fourth of eight children and the eldest son of Paddington, New South Wales-born John Gale Jackson and local girl, Adelaide Ann McFarlane. ^[1] Bill's mother died when he was eight years of age and the six surviving children were raised by her parents nearby at Seaton Park. Bill and his siblings attended the Gunbar School and William later found employment on local properties. ^[2]

defending freedom

Bill Jackson VC is an Anzac who served in World War One.

On 15th February 1915, at seventeen years five months, Bill was amongst the first group of volunteers from Gunbar to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) for service overseas. In order to do so, he had to both obtain his father's approval and raise his age by one year. ^[3] Allocated to B Company, 17th Australian Infantry Battalion, a unit of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division, ^[4] Bill embarked for the Middle East on 12th May 1915 at Sydney, New South Wales, aboard HMAT Themistocles A32. ^[5] No doubt this was the first time he had seen the majestic Sydney Harbour.

With the 17th Battalion he saw service on Gallipoli from 20th August 1915 to the December evacuation, before re-deploying to the Western Front from 22nd March 1916.

Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

Bill Jackson was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) on 9th September 1916 ^[6][7] for action at Bois Grenier, near Armentieres, France on 26th June 1916 in one of the battalion's first major engagements. Returning across 'no man's land' with a raiding patrol, several of his comrades were hit by an artillery bombardment. Without hesitation, Bill turned the prisoner he was escorting over to members of his unit in the trenches and then immediately returned to help his comrades. He helped one patrol member back to the trenches and then returned a second time. Whilst helping Private George Robinson, ^[8] he and Sergeant Hugh Camden from the 19th Battalion were wounded, under increasing shellfire, Bill losing his right arm above the elbow whilst Hugh was knocked unconscious. Bill again went to the trenches, had a torniquet applied, and immediately returned to 'no man's land' to help retrieve the others. This was successfully achieved. ^[9] Bill was immediately awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for his action, however, this was upgraded to the Victoria Cross. His award was the first Victorian Cross to be awarded to an Australian on the Western Front. At eighteen years and nine months of age, he is also the youngest Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross. ^[10]

repatriation

Bill Jackson VC was wounded at Armentieres during The Great War.

Severely wounded in the action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross, Bill was evacuated to England and underwent surgery and lengthy rehabilitation. Still just nineteen years of age, Bill left England on 4th May 1917 with a large group of servicemen being repatriated aboard the Themistocles, the same ship that took him to war, and arrived in Sydney on 5th July 1917. For his service in the war, Bill Jackson was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. ^[10]

At a reception in Sydney for the returned soldiers, held at the ANZAC Buffet in the Domain, Bill was hoisted shoulder-high and singled out for great honour. Bill's uncle, George Gale, commented at the reception: "You never know what virtues may come out of the most unsuspected places, nor what heroes may spring up out of the smallest village: Gunbar, a little place of about four houses; not even a blacksmith’s shop or a pub. My nephew had never even seen a train until he enlisted." ^[11] Travelling by train to Hay, accompanied by his comrade Sergeant Camden, they were met at the railway station by a large crowd who enthusiastically cheered the returned hero. The two soldiers were officially welcomed in front of the Post Office, upon which Hugh spoke of his comrade's selfless courage: "Bill was not looking for a VC that night, he was looking for a cobber". That evening Bill and Hugh dined with local dignitaries at Tattersall's Hotel, on a table covered with the Union Jack and table-napkins folded in the form of military tents. Upon his return to Gunbar, Bill was met once more with great celebration and pride. The community sought to show their appreciation by buying him a farming property in the area, but he declined their offer, believing the loss of his arm rendered him incapable of working on the land. ^[2]

Bill 'The Larrikin' Jackson VC

regaining 'normality'

In the early 1920s Bill Jackson moved to Merriwa, in the New England region, where he became a dealer in skins (then illegal). His father joined him at Merriwa. Bill built a house of concrete blocks, in Flags Road, Merriwa, however it burnt down in 1926. In March 1927, Bill and ten other NSW-resident VCs gathered at Government House Sydney to greet HRH the Duke of York during the future King George VI's Sydney visit. A month later, Bill was one of 23 VCs who attended a function hosted by the Duke of York at the Melbourne Exhibition building. Later that year he became the licensee of the Figtree Hotel, Wollongong for eighteen months. But he was not settled. Neither could he put the horror of the war behind him. ^[2] In requesting a replacement copy of his discharge certificate (the original was lost in the 1926 house fire), the staff at Army office realised they had never issued Bill with his Victory Medal (if you look carefully at the photo of Bill above you will notice the ribbon is not there!). The oversight was rectified. ^[12]

In February 1929, whilst he was a patient in the Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Bill met Ivy Morris, a dressmaker. With the Great Depression also hitting hard, he moved to Kensington, in Sydney's south eastern suburbs, close to members of his father's extended family and closer to Ivy. There, he held several jobs, including managing a green-grocery business and working as a clerk with the Metropolitan Water, Sewerage & Drainage Board. ^[12]

On 12th January 1932 Bill and Ivy married in St Paul's Church of England (Anglican Church), Kogarah, New South Wales. ^[13] When Ivy's step-father was late for the wedding – he was the best man – Bill showed he had not lost his 'larrikin' character when he had his cattle dog, ‘Jackie’, stand in as his best man. The couple made their home initially at 91 St George Parade, Hurstville, near to Ivy's family. Their only child was born late that year, a daughter who they named Dorothea. ^[12]

In 1937, Bill was awarded the King George VI Coronation Medal.

another war

Bill Jackson VC is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Army 1942-1942
Eastern Command Provost Company; 2nd Australian Labour Company

On 31st March 1941, Bill enlisted in the Australian Army Militia and was posted to the Eastern Command (New South Wales) Provost Company at Victoria Barracks Paddington as a Corporal and Acting Sergeant. There arose a controversy regarding his wearing the DCM awarded during the First World War, eventually resulting in his requesting a discharge amidst the threat of taking the matter to court. Bill denied knowing anything about the cancellation of the award or requests for the medal's return (the correspondence had been going to his father). Yet, he is not wearing the ribbon in the above photograph. Within three weeks, Bill was re-enlisted, and served as a Corporal in the 2nd Australian Labour Company until September 1942. ^[14] In june 1942, after the Japanese mini-submarines had entered Sydney Harbour, Bill despatched Ivy and Dorothea to Merriwa. He joined them there in September. ^[12] Following the war, Bill was awarded both the the War Medal 1939-45 and the Australia Service Medal 1939-45.

vehicle accident

Returning to Sydney from a skin buying trip to Wollongong during the evening of 5th October 1946, Bill was driving a motor lorry through fog and light rain at Waterfall, when he was involved in a four vehicle accident. Whilst Bill suffered only minor injuries, two people were killed in the accident and Bill was charged with man-slaughter, driving in a dangerous manner and negligent driving. He appeared before the Wollongong Court of Quarter Sessions charged with two counts of manslaughter on 13th May 1947. Evidence revealed that Bill was driving the lorry fitted in accordance with the restricted licence he had held for five months; that this was the first accident he had been involved in during the thirty years he had been driving; and that due to the poor weather conditions all four drivers had been driving at 25mph (40kph). The Judge, Judge Neild, a former member of the 17th Battalion, disclosed to the jury that he knew Bill’s reputation as a soldier and this was causing him some embarrassment during the trial. He directed them to return their verdict, not on anything that he had said but purely on the facts of the case. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty. ^[12] Of course, this ordeal played havoc with Bill's mental, and physical, health and set him back, arguably indefinitely.

being appreciated

In 1953, he moved to Melbourne (he and Ivy having become estranged) and was appointed a commissionaire at the Melbourne Town Hall. Soon afterward, in August that year, the new Governor-General of Australia, Field Marshal Sir William Slim, a Military Cross receipient from the First World War, on his way to a civic reception as the guest of honour, noticed his lift-driver was wearing a VC ribbon, and chatted with Bill at length, despite the waiting civic dignitaries. Bill continued as a valued employee of the Melbourne City Council for the next eight years. ^[2] That year, 1953, he was also awarded the The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. During the 1954 Royal Tour of Australia, he was given several honoured roles in Sydney (where he was introduced to the Royal Couple when they visited the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park) and Melbourne (where he unfurled the Royal Standard as the Queen stepped from her car on arrival at the Melbourne Town Hall). ^[12]

Bill's and Ivy's marriage was finally dissolved in 1955.

In 1956 Bill sailed to England aboard the SS Orcades with a large contingent (33) of fellow VC-recipients, for the Victoria Cross Centenary Celebrations. ^[2] He was seriously ill during the voyage and on arrival in England was admitted to a London Hospital for six weeks, allowed out only to attend a garden party given by Queen Elizabeth, at Marlborough House, Pall Mall on 26th June, before he was flown home. Recovering, he returned to work at the Melbourne Town Hall. ^[12]

final parade

On 4th August 1959, Bill collapsed at the Melbourne Town Hall and was taken to the Austin Hospital (since amalgamated with the Repatriation General Hospital), Heidelburg, where he passed away of arteriosclerotic heart disease later that day, aged just 61 years. His remains were cremated at Springvale Cemetery with full military honours and his ashes placed in the Boronia Gardens. ^[15] Bill had been living with his father at 68 Green Street, Ivanhoe, and was a member of the Carlton Sub-branch of the RSL. He was survived by his daughter, Dorothea. ^[2]

On 28 May 2008, Bill's Victoria Cross and campaign medals were sold privately to an Australian collector, whose identity has not been revealed. ^[2] By Australian law, the medal must remain within Australia.

putting inaccuracies to 'sleep'

Stories continue to arise crediting Bill with the DCM. The DCM was cancelled and replaced by the VC! However, it was not until years later that the bureaucracy notified the family; and even then apparently contacting John Jackson the father instead of John Jackson the son! ^[2] Other misleading articles have incorrectly credited Bill with the Military Medal. It is expected that this may have arisen from the two entries that the AWM have on Bill' VC recommendation. If you don't look carefully, the second entry includes an article on another person, who gained the MM. ^[16][17] One would think that The Story of the Seventeenth Battalion of the AIF, the battalion history written by Bill's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel K W Mackenzie MC, would have silenced the inaccuracies! ^[12]

Whilst both Bill and his father have lived at Merriwa, and Bill held RSL Sub-branch membership there (he was one of the founding members), he was not a recruit from Merriwa or a student at Merriwa Public School, untruthful statements often raised around ANZAC Day each year in the upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales. Nevertheless he deserves the honours that Merriwa have bestowed upon him: the members' bar in the Merriwa RSL Club is named the Jackson VC Bar; displayed near the bar is a framed photograph of William Jackson VC DCM and a duplicate set of medals one of which is the DCM; and a rest area / park situated on the Golden Highway at Gungal, 23 km south of Merriwa is named the Private Jackson Park. ^[12]

John William 'Bill' Jackson VC medal set

Bill's awards, in order of precedence, consist of the:

• Victoria Cross
• 1914-1915 Star
• British War Medal 1914-1920
• Victory Medal
• War Medal 1939-1945
• Australian Service Medal 1939-1945
• King George VI Coronation Medal
• Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal