Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Captain J. H. Jackson, London Regiment, severely wounded in the attack on the ‘Double Crassier’ at Loos, 25 September 1915, when the ‘Shiny Seventh’ kicked off the attack with footballs from the parapet

1914-15 Star (2118. Pte. (A-Cpl.) J. H. Jackson 7-Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. J. H. Jackson.); Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, G.V.R. (John H. Jackson) nearly extremely fine (4) £180-220

John Hope Jackson of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, was born in London on 11 December 1887 and educated at University College School, London. He enlisted in the London Regiment at London on 31 August 1914, and served with the 7th (City of London) Battalion in France from 17 March 1915. Commissioned Second Lieutenant four days later, on 21 March 1915, he continued in the same battalion, and was severely wounded by a gun shot wound to the left thigh on 25 September 1915. In a letter home he wrote: ‘I am only repeating the expressed opinion of the Corps, Brigade, and Divisional Commanders when I say that no finer battalion ‘went up and over’ on the morning of the 25th September 1915 than the 7th Battalion The London Regiment. Staggered as we are at the loss of so many dear friends, magnificent officers and men, a loss we have not fully realised yet, the knowledge that the battalion so well maintained the good name it had already earned on the field goes a long way to solacing us. And, after all, they died as all who have the honour to wear the King’s uniform would wish to die- facing the enemy and in the moment of victory. The “Shiny Seventh” were detailed to assault and carry the enemy’s lines at a point where they had, after many months’ work, turned two parallel slag heaps into a formidable redoubt, on the extreme right of the British line. Everyone knew what the task meant, for the battalion had done duty in that particular sector of our front line from the time the “Double Crassier”- the name by which the slag heap was known- was 600 yards away until, by sapping, our trenches were pushed forward to within half that distance. Hence the night before the battalion went into its place for the attack one could feel, although very little was said, that no man expected to come out unscathed. Still, everyone was cheerful and optimistic as the result, whilst the spirit of the men was grand. Half an hour before the assault, and as soon as our gas was turned on and smoke shells were sent over to cover the front they woke up and their shells began to arrive. As soon as the word was given, over went the companies, as cool as if on ordinary parade. One man placed the company football on the parapet and kicked off right away. The Germans however were ready and opened an infernal machine gun and artillery fire. Several of our officers were down before the attack reached the German front line trench. Taking that trench was not a lengthy matter. The Bosches threw up their hands and cried “Kamerad”, while those who would not come out of their dug-outs were systematically bombed. All this time a heavy fire was kept up by the enemy. Bombs were available to us in plenty, and the Huns were all cleared out. It was ding-dong work all the time. I was hit in the left thigh, just as I was putting in the final spurt between the wire and their trench. Of course I could not take any part in the scrap, but I saw a good deal of what was going on.’

The following year Jackson was hospitalised and returned to England in September 1916, having been ‘blown up by a shell and also buried’, injuries that required him to stay in hospital for over a month. Returning to France and being advanced to Captain, he was again wounded by a gun shot wound to the chest, 8 September 1918.