A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties

Four: Able Seaman W. H. Jackson, Royal Navy, who was killed in action when H.M.S. Dorsetshire was attacked by Japanese dive bombers and sunk 200 miles Southwest of Ceylon, 5 April 1942

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Admiralty enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mr. P. Jackson, Size Hill, Ballyclare, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland’; together with the recipient’s Memorial Scroll (Able Seaman W. H. Jackson Royal Navy), this glazed and framed; and an unofficial commemorative Coronation Medal 1937, bronze, nearly extremely fine (5) £240-280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

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James Jackson served during the Second World War as an Able Seaman in the heavy cruiser H.M.S. Dorsetshire. In May 1941 she took part in the final engagement with the Battleship Bismarck, which ended when Dorsetshire was ordered to close and torpedo the stricken German battleship. She subsequently joined searches for the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper in August 1941, and the Auxiliary Cruiser Atlantis in November of that year.
In March 1942 Dorsetshire was assigned to the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean. Following reports of an impending Japanese attack in the Indian Ocean- the Indian Ocean Raid- the Fleet was put to sea on 31 March. Having not encountered any hostile forces by 4 April, Dorsetshire was sent to Colombo to refuel. The next day, she and her sister ship H.M.S. Cornwall were spotted by reconnaissance aircraft from the Japanese heavy cruiser Tone. The two British cruisers were attacked by a force of 53 Aichi D3A Val dive bombers 200 miles Southwest of Ceylon. In approximately 8 minutes Dorsetshire was hit by ten 250lb and 550lb bombs, with several near misses, and sank stern first at approximately 1:50 p.m. Cornwall was hit eight times and sank bow first about ten minutes later. Between the two ships 1,122 men out of a total compliment of 1,546 were picked up by the cruiser Enterprise the following day.

Jackson was amongst those killed, aged 29. He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. His medals were sent to his father Peter Jackson.

Sold with the recipient’s wife’s and mother’s Travel Identity/ Permit Cards.

For the medals awarded to the recipient’s brother, Stoker 1st Class J. Jackson, see the previous lot.