Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War I (1914-1918)

Date of Enlistment

28/09/1915

Date of Discharge

23/08/1919

Place of Enlistment

Holsworthy NSW

Gender

Male

Other Name(s)

Known as 'Johnny'

Place of Birth

Goulburn NSW

Address (at enlistment)

Ainslie (Lyneham) ACT

Occupation

Teacher

Next of Kin

Petronella Jackson (mother), Croydon NSW

Service Number

11077

Final Rank

Sergeant

Final Unit

13 Field Artillery Brigade AIF

Queanbeyan RSL Wall of Remembrance, Crawford St, Queanbeyan NSW
Roll of Honour 1914-19 in Queanbeyan Masonic Centre, Crawford St, Queanbeyan NSW
Ainslie Cricket Club Honour Roll - refer Queanbeyan Age 28/01/1916

Military Medal

Edward 'Johnny' Jackson was the teacher at Gungahleen School from 1913 until he enlisted on 28 September 1915 with his mate, fellow teacher and Ainslie cricketer Harry Landon. He was born in 1887 in Goulburn where his father worked at the gaol, ultimately becoming governor in 1912. Like Landon, Johnny Jackson was a foundation member of the Canberra Rifle Club, a leading cricketer with Ainslie and part of its winning team in the final of the Territory competition in April 1915.

He and Landon enlisted together on 28 September 1915 and were each presented with a wrist watch, fountain pen and sheepskin vest at their farewell in Queanbeyan a few weeks later. They embarked for Egypt in mid January 1916 but then their paths diverged. Jackson served with the 51st Battery of the 13th Field Artillery Brigade in France from March 1916 including during the Battle of Fromelles four months later. His battery supported the Australian infantry during the fighting at Bullecourt on the Hindenburg Line in April and May 1917 before moving to Belgium in July where they provided artillery support to the Allies troops during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) including Polygon Wood (September 1917) and Broodseinde Ridge (October 1917). During 1918 the 13th Field Artillery Brigade fought at the Battle of Amiens in August and again at the Hindenburg Line in October at which time Jackson was promoted to Sergeant.

On 8 October 1918 his battery was preparing for action north east of Montbrehain when enemy planes bombed their position killing and wounding several men, causing some of the ammunition to explode and igniting the camouflage net. Jackson pulled away the burning ammunition and camouflage net and put out the fire saving the men and a large quantity of ammunition. His actions earned him the Military Medal. Jackson returned to Australia in July 1919 and was discharged on 23 August 1919.

After the war he teamed up with Harry Landon but rather than return to teaching they went into business running a general store in Berrima in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. Unfortunately Landon died in May 1921 so Jackson returned to teaching. He married in 1926 and was still employed by the Education Department when he died on 26 December 1939 in North Sydney.

Description - height 5 feet 7 inches, weight 135 pounds, fresh complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair, Church of England.

Our Queanbeyan 'Boys' No.2, Howard & Shearsby, Yass (postcard)
Rex Cross, 'Bygone Queanbeyan', 1980
Lyall Gillespie, 'Early Education and Schools in the Canberra Region', 1999
Lyall Gillespie, 'Ginninderra - Forerunner to Canberra', 1992 (pp. 78,151,152,226,249)
NAA RecordSearch - Series B2455 (First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920)
National Library of Australia : Country Women's Association of NSW (Canberra Branch) History, 1959 (manuscript call no. NLA MS 734)
Queanbeyan Age - 24 November 1914, 12 October 1915, 25 January 1916, 18 February 1916, 2 June 1916, 9 October 1916, 17 September 1918, 22 July 1919, 6 May 1921
The Scruitineer & Berrima District Press - 4 May 1921
Sydney Morning Herald - 28 December 1939
AWM Honours & Awards