Thiepval Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Jackson born April 16th 1893, mother Mary, father deceased, on the outbreak of war left his employment at South Pontop Colliery, Annfield Plain, County Durham, as a putter to enlist.
August 16th 1914 Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty decided to create two more naval brigades from the surplus men of the Naval Reserve to join the Marine Brigade. Assigned to the R.N.V.R. John rose to the rank of Leading Seaman TZ2905 attached to the 189th Trench Mortar Battery, 63rd Royal Naval Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, departing for the Western Front during 1916. In 1916 the Division participated during the final stage of the Battles of the Somme along the Ancre to capture Beaucourt. The battle began in the early morning, November 13th 1916, with a British artillery bombarded of the German front lines but many casualties were sustained in no-man’s land before the German trenches were captured. Beaucourt was captured by 10.30 p.m. that evening followed by the Operations on the Ancre, January-March 1917.
Leading Seaman TZ2905 John Jackson was killed in action February 3rd 1917. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 72,337 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, commemorating servicemen from Britain and South Africa who died in the sector before March 20th 1918 and have no known grave. He was 23 years old and single.
His widowed mother received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 18, Fair View Terrace, South Pontop, Annfield Plain, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Jackson is remembered at Greencroft on G54.01 and G54.02 and at Annfield Plain on A38.01
