In Memory of

Private George Jackson

22433
2nd Battalion South Lancashire Regiment
Killed In Action 1st October 1916 Age 29

George was the son of Thomas and Esther Jackson of 30 Hayfield Road, New Mills, Derbyshire, through when he was called up he was living at 65, Mill Lane, Newton-le-Willows. He was a calico printwork labourer who moved to Newton when Newton Mere Print Works was taken over by Messrs. Caulfield. He worked in the "white room". He had four brothers, Joseph, Samuel, Herbert and Adam, and one sister, Jane.

His attestation form is originally dated 12th December 1915 though he was only mobilised on 27th May 1916. As his obituary in NEG of October 27th 1916 says: "Fortunately it is not many men who have such a short experience of Army life after joining as ... Private George Jackson, who only joined up with his group some 13 weeks ago. He had a very short course of training, probably due to the fact that he had had former experience in a Volunteer Corps of the Sherwood Foresters. After some eight weeks in camp he was drafted over to France ... less than six weeks ago." In fact his "burnt papers" state that he only arrived at Rouen from Southampton on the 18th September, less than two weeks before his death.

He was 5 feet 7 1/2 inches tall and weighed 128 pounds with a 34 1/2 inch chest. His religion is given as Church of England.

While George was killed during the Battle of the Somme, Whalley-Kelly says of this period for the 2nd Battalion:

"For the remainder of September, 1916, there is little of importance to record, although the Battalion, now under the command of Major Craigie-Halkett, The Highland Light Infantry, remained in the valley of the Ancre, carrying out its tours in the trenches in the Mouquet Farm sector. Several drafts from home arrived, filling up the depleted ranks with both officers and men."

George's name is on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

Private Samuel Johnston, also of the 2nd Battalion and who had a similar short time in France, was killed two days after George.

CWGC lists a Private George William Jackson, 7670, 2nd Bn., Royal Sussex Regiment as having died on 7th September 1916, aged 42. He was the husband of Ethel Ellen Frances Jackson of 61, Church Road, Haydock. SDGW states that he enlisted in Earlestown. In addition, the father of Eric Jackson, who, for many years, has travelled over from Boston, Massachusetts, for the Remembrance Day Parade in Earlestown, was also Private George Jackson. However, this George Jackson survived the Great War.