Branch of Service

Navy

Conflict

World War II (1939-1945)

Date of Enlistment

16/06/1941

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

21/09/1917

Place of Birth

Drummoyne, NSW

Address (at enlistment)

17 Ben Boyd Road, Neutral Bay NSW

Occupation

Electrician

Next of Kin

Grace Jackson (wife), Boldrewood Street, Turner ACT

Service Number

24722

Final Rank

Wireman

Final Unit

HMAS Perth

Died (killed in action) on 1 March 1942 during the Battle of Sunda Strait near Java with the sinking of HMAS Perth.

AWM Roll of Honour Memorial Panel 5, Canberra ACT

Jackson had lived in Canberra since at least 1939 at Gorman House where he met his wife Grace who worked at the Australian War Memorial. He played half-back for the Northern Suburbs rugby union team during 1939-41 and conducted physical culture classes at the Causeway. He enlisted in the navy in June 1941 and joined HMAS Perth in August that year. HMAS Perth arrived in Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia) on 24 February 1942 and joined British, American and Dutch ships at Surabaya a few days later. During the night of 27-28 February 1942 these ships engaged the Japanese in the Battle of the Java Sea from which only Perth and an American ship survived. On the night of 28 February 1942 the Perth engaged a number of Japanese destroyers in the Sunda Strait. Shortly after midnight she was struck by several torpedoes and sank at 0025 hours on 1 March 1942. Of 681 people on board 353 died, including Charlie Jackson.

ACT Memorial Nomination and image from Susan Searson
AWM Roll of Honour Database
WWII Nominal Roll http://www.ww2roll.gov.au
ACT Electoral Rolls 1916 to 1967 http://canberraheritageportal.org/default.php
Trades Journal - 1 April 1943
The Canberra Times - 17 March 1942