Name
Charles Ernest Jackson
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/04/1917
40
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
9836
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN
I. O. 13.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial, St. Lawrence Church Memorial, Abbots Langley, Leavesden Asylum/Hospital War Memorial, Leavesden, Not on Alderley Edge, Cheshire memorials.
Pre War
Charles Jackson was born the youngest son in Chorley, Alderley Edge, Cheshire in 1877, the youngest son to James Jackson, a labourer, and Martha (nee Gerrard). The family were living at Moss Lane, Chorley on the 1881 Census and consisted of parents, William, James, Mary, Ada, Emily, and Charles.
On the 1891 Census the family, without William and James were still at the same address.
Charles’ Father died in 1899 and on the 1901 Census Martha, Charles’ widowed mother, was living at George Street, Alderley Edge with her daughters Mary and Emily. There is a record of Charles enlisting in 4th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment Rifle Volunteer Corps in Oct 1895 for a period of 6 years and completing his service in Oct 1901: this would account for him not being with his family on the 1901 Census.
Charles came to Abbots Langley to work at the Asylum in Leavesden. In the 1911 Census he was recorded working as an Asylum Attendant, and lived with his wife, Fanny and children Charles Ernest (born 1906) and Norah Alice (born 1908) at 21 Asylum Cottages (a third child Eric James was born later in 1911).
Wartime Service
Charles enlisted at Mill Hill with the Middlesex Regiment as Private 9836 and was first recorded in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour in July 1915, serving with 5th (Reserve) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. At some point he was transferred to France and also to 11th Middlesex Battalion.
Between 9th and 14th April the 11th Middlesex was engaged in the First Battle of the Scarpe which was an action during the Battle of Arras. Charles was wounded in this action on 11th April, and evacuated to the medical facilities behind the lines. The 8th Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) was based at the villages of Duisans and Etrun, about five miles to the north-west of Arras, Charles died of wounds on 12th April 1917 and as Charles was buried in the Duisans British Cemetery it was probable that he died whilst being treated at the CCS. Lewis Gentle from Abbots Langley died on 11th May 1917 and was buried in the same cemetery.
The May 1917 edition of the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine recorded: “Charles Ernest Jackson, of the 11th Middlesex, died of wounds received in action on April 11th. He was an attendant at Leavesden Asylum, and had been in the Army since the outbreak of War. He leaves a wife and three little children to mourn his loss, and they may be assured that we all feel with them and for them”.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £8 10s and arrears of £7 15s 4d was paid to his widow Fanny.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
