Name
William Jackson
24 July 1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/07/1916
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266073
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st/1st Bn., attached (3642). 8th Bn. Glo Regiment
"C" Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 12 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Sawbridgeworth Town Memorial, Great St Mary’s Church Memorial, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Not on the Bishop's Stortford memorials, Not on the High Wych memorials
Pre War
William Jackson was born in High Wych, Herts on 24 July 1885 to James and Rebecca Jackson and baptised there on 4 October the same year.
The family were living at High Wych, Sawbridgeworth on the 1891 Census, where his father was a farm labourer and later in 1901 at Hoestock Farm, Sawbridgeworth.
On the 1911 Census he was living with his family at 34 Station Road, Sawbridgeworth and working as a Jobbing Gardener (domestic).
A local newspaper stated that he was well known and respected in the Sawbridgeworth district and that he had married Louisa Chapman of Much Hadham on 9 October 1915. (although this is not verified).
At the time of his enlistment he was employed as gardener by Mr John Barnard of Alston Oak, Harlow. His family appear to have moved after he enlisted to ‘Brooklands’ in Sayesbury Road.
Wartime Service
Late in October or November 1914 William joined the Herts Regiment, originally under No. 3642, and went to the Front in Spring 1915 after training. From 14 July the Battalion were in trenches near Festubert and took part in raids on enemy trenches.
In October 1915, William must have come home on leave, as he married Louise Chapman from Much Hadham at this time.
From 8-24 July 1916, the Battalion was in trenches near Festubert. The Battalion diary reports a number of casualties for this period, but only 1 person missing. This was from the night of 19 July when a trench raid on the German line took place.
His death was reported in the local paper and stated that he had been missing since July 23 July 1916, on the Western Front, and was considered by the Army authorities to have met his death on or about that date. William is not specifically named, but the Battalion War Diary reported on the 24th, when they were relieved, that in the previous 16 days in the trenches 1 officer and 11 OR killed, 1 OR missing, 7 officers and 38 OR's wounded.
His body was not recovered for burial.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £2 10s 2d. She re-married in late 1917 to Bertie Matthews and they lived at 99 Rye St., Bishop's Stortford, Herts.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, David Harvey - Leventhorpe School, Douglas Coe
