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| 17 Apr 2019 | |
| History |
Lieutenant W. F. Jackson JH (1900-05) was the third son - each of whom served in the war – of Walter Comyn Jackson and of Mrs. Jackson, of Allington, Bexley. After six months' training in engineering at Middlesbrough he went out to India, where he joined a firm of tea planters, ‘Messrs. Cresswell & Co.’, of Calcutta. In 1913 he was in acting charge of a garden at Baintguri and was appointed manager in 1914. He received a cavalry commission in the Indian Army Reserve Officers in April 1917, and being posted to the Guides Cavalry, went out to Mesopotamia in the following September. A colleague wrote: “[We] were looking forward to his coming back again shortly, for he was one of the very best in every way, both at work and at play, and was very much liked by everyone who had the good fortune to know him." In March 1918, the Guides had a hard time, doing 350 miles in sixteen marches, and on one occasion sixty-five miles in twenty-eight hours, but were rewarded by their participation in the great rout of the Turks at Khan Baghdadi. He came through unscathed till just before the truce was signed. On the evening of October 28th, when the Regiment was holding a position on the Tigris that was being heavily attacked, he was instantaneously killed in the last action fought in Mesopotamia. His Commanding Officer wrote: "We are all very distressed at the death of Jackson. He was most popular with all ranks of the Regiment and was a most gallant officer." To find out more about Tonbridge and The Great War, visit our online archives at: www.tonbridgeschoolheritage.co.uk Or, contact Archivist, Bev Matthews at: E: beverley.matthews@tonbridge-school.org |
