Lance Corporal Thomas Norman Jackson VC (11 February 1897 – 27 September 1918) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

soldier and an

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posthumous recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

(VC), the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to

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and Commonwealth forces, during the First World War.

Early life

Thomas Norman Jackson was born on 11 February 1897 in Swinton in the then

West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...

to Thomas Edwin Jackson, a worker at a supplier of mineral water, and Emma Jackson. After completing his schooling, he started working alongside his father. He later took up employment at the Great Central Locomotive Depot, based at Mexborough.

First World War

In November 1915, Jackson enlisted in the

and, in October 1917, was posted to the 1st Battalion of the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...

, which was serving in France on the Western Front at the time. He participated in the Battle of Cambrai the following month. He was later promoted to

lance corporal Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO), usually equi ...

. On 27 September 1918, during the Hundred Days Offensive, the Coldstream Guards was engaged in the Battle of Canal du Nord, near Graincourt. Jackson's battalion was tasked with the capture of a canal crossing. Once over the canal, it was to set up defensive positions and make contact with the adjacent 3rd Guards Battalion. On reaching the canal, the advance of Jackson's company, under the command of Captain Cyril Frisby, was halted by barbed wire together with heavy fire from a German machine-gun post under the bridge on the far side of the canal. Jackson, together with Frisby and two others, got through the wire and climbed down into the canal under intense fire. With a further twelve men joining them, the post was captured. Later in the morning, Jackson was ordered to move forward with a platoon to seize a German-held trench. He was first into the trench, and after killing two German soldiers, he in turn was killed. His grave is at Sanders Keep Military Cemetery, Graincourt-les-Havrincourt, which is to the west of Cambrai. For his actions on 27 September 1918, Jackson was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC), one of seven that would be awarded for actions performed on 27 September. The citation for his VC reads: King

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Qu ...

presented Jackson's VC to his parents in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 29 March 1919. Also present was Jackson's fiancée Daisy Flatt. Captain Frisby, in attendance at the same ceremony to receive his own award of the VC for his role in the action of 27 September 1918, was able to explain to Jackson's family the circumstances of their relative's VC award. A few months later Frisby travelled to Swindon to unveil a painting commemorating Jackson.

Medals

In June 1969, Jackson's brother donated his medals, which in addition to the VC also included the

British War Medal The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in si ...

and Victory Medal to The Coldstream Guards Regimental Headquarters at

Wellington Barracks Wellington Barracks is a military barracks in Westminster, central London, for the Foot Guards battalions on public duties in that area. The building is located about three hundred yards from Buckingham Palace, allowing the guard to be able to ...

in London, where they are on display.

References

Bibliography

External links

Coldstream Guards memorial
- picture * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Thomas Norman 1897 births 1918 deaths British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Coldstream Guards soldiers British Army personnel of World War I British military personnel killed in World War I People from Swinton, South Yorkshire British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Yorkshire Burials in Hauts-de-France