Morpeth Herald 18/05/1917 carries the following:
MORPETH FLYING OFFICER REPORTED MISSING
News was received last Friday by Councillor Geo. Jackson and Mrs Jackson, Bridge Street, Morpeth, that their eldest son, George William, in the R.F.C., was reported missing.
The telegram read as follows:- “Regret Second-Lieut. [sic] G.W. Jackson was reported missing, May 7th. This does not necessarily mean that he is killed or wounded.”
Morpeth Herald 28/09/1917 carries an obituary:
Morpeth Flying Officer’s Death
Councillor and Mrs Geo. Jackson, 26 Bridge Street, Morpeth, have received official word that their eldest son, Second-Lieut. [sic] Pilot G.W. Jackson, Royal Flying Corps, who was reported missing on May 7th, is now reported killed.
A communication from the War Office, dated September 20th, states: “With reference to the letter from his office of 13th September concerning Second-Lieut. [sic] G.W. Jackson, N.F. and R.F.C., I am directed to inform you that this officer’s death has now been confirmed in an official list received from Germany.”
“It is said that his machine was shot down north-east of St Quentin on May 7th, and that his disc has been recovered. I am directed to express the sympathy of the Army Council with you in your bereavement.”
Second-Lieut. Jackson was educated at Rutherford College, Newcastle, and joined the Royal Engineers at Cambridge, afterwards receiving a commission in the Northumberland Fusiliers in September, 1915.
After being nearly a year with his battalion he was attached to the Royal Flying Corps in August, 1916. He trained at various R.F.C. centres in the United Kingdom, and received his wings in February this year. He went out to the Western Front in March last, and, as already stated, was killed on May 7th, in the 27th year of his age.
He had shown much promise as a flying officer, and his early demise is much regretted by his brother officers, who sympathise with his family in their sad bereavement.
Councillor Jackson has received from Lieut.-Colonel J.J. Gillespie, N.F., a letter expressing the sympathy of himself and his brother officers. His Commanding Officer wrote that “he was a good and careful pilot. His loss on that account is the more regrettable.”
The deceased officer took a keen interest in all kinds of sport. Whilst assistant clerk and steward at Cambridge Asylum he played for the Cambridge Rugby team. Other teams for which he played were Birmingham and Barnsley Hall.
Simon Glancey has submitted the following:
He was killed when Be.2e A2801 of No. 7 Squadron, R.F.C., was shot down at 14.15 near St. Quentin on a reconnaissance mission. Lt. Jackson was the pilot, and both he and his observer Lt. C. V. Gaulter were killed. The National Probate Calendar records his address as 26 Bridge Street, Morpeth, and his rank as Second Lieutenant.
His Royal Aero Cub Aviator’s certificate records that he was born on April 18th 1890 at Cullercoats. it does, however, list his date of death as October 3rd 1917, for some reason, which is obviously not correct.
George William Jackson is remembered in Morpeth on M17.01 and as Jackson, Lieut. on M17.29 and in Newcastle on NUT126
