Name
Ernest Henry Jackson
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/09/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20933
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hertford Town Memorial. Christchurch Plaque, now in Holy Trinity Church, Bengeo, Not on the Baldock memorials
Pre War
Ernest Henry Jackson was born in 1894, in Hertford, Hertfordshire, the son of Ernest and Elizabeth Jackson and one of six children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at High Street, Layston, Herts where his father was working as a butcher. By 1911 they had moved to High Street, Buntingford, Herts and his father was working as a butcher on his own account. Ernest was also a butcher presumably working for his father.
At the time of enlistment Ernest was resident in Baldock, Herts but his parents were living at 13 Nelson Street, Port Vale, Hertford,
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Bedford and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, serving in France with the 1st Battalion. Although the 1st Battalion served in France from 16 August 1914 and took part in engagements at Mons and Le Cateau, followed by the 2nd Battle of Ypres in 1915, Ernest's medal cards show he was not awarded the 1914 or 1915 stars and is likely to have joined the 1st Battalion in France after 31 December 1915.
In the late evening of 3 September 1916 the Battalion were due to attack Falfemont Farm, a German strong point, which had been the object of an attack the previous day, which had been repulsed. They moved off at about 18.15hrs and managed to take the objective in the early hours of the morning on 4 September, despite heavy casualties, one of whom was Ernest.
Ernest has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. He is one of 51 men from the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment named on the memorial who died on 3 or 4 September 1916.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £1 17s 1d. His mother received a pension of 3 shillings a week.
After Ernest's death his parents were recorded as living at 13 Nelson Street, Port Vale, Hertford, Herts.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Malcolm Lennox, Terry & Glenis Collins, Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
