Thomas Colin Jackson (1882-1935)
Wolsingham born groom served with AIF in Egypt and France
Thomas Colin Jackson came from Wolsingham but had settled in Victoria, Australia, by the time war was declared in 1914. Rather than returning to England to serve in the British Army, he enlisted as a private in the infantry battalions of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
According to his attestation papers, Thomas was born in Wolsingham in 1882, but with both parents dead and no other immediate family, his connection to County Durham had been severed. His next of kin was a cousin, Louise Cave, who had also emigrated to Australia and was living in Caulfield, Victoria.
Thomas was 33 years old and working as a groom by 1915. He was a small man, just 5’3″ tall and weighing 9st 9lbs. He was described as having a fresh complexion, with brown eyes and black hair. He gave his religion as Church of England.
Thomas enlisted in Melbourne on 13 August 1915, he initially joined the 13th Reinforcements of the 5th Battalion although, once on active service in 1916, he transferred to the 46th Battalion. He embarked from Melbourne on 29 December 1915, to spend five months training in Egypt before finally leaving for the war in Europe on 2 May 1916.
No sooner had he arrived in France than Thomas was admitted to hospital, suffering with varicose veins.
Thomas saw little of the fighting over the next two years as he was transferred to the 1st ANZAC Headquarters at Etaples, on 28 September 1916; assigned to permanent base duties. A year later, on 11 November 1917, he was moved to the 4th Australian Base Depot at Le Havre to serve out the war with the Australian Employment Corps. He returned safely to Australia on the “Ulysses” on 18 January 1918.
Thomas died in Brunswick, Victoria, in 1935.
Civil Parish: Wolsingham
Birth date: 1882
Death date: 1935
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (letter of 1927)
Religion: Church of England
Employment: Groom
Family: Cousin: Louise Cave
Military service:
Service Number 4226
Private
5th Battalion, AIF
Transferred to 46th Battalion 31-Mar-1916
1st ANZAC HQ 28-Sep-1916
Transferred to Australian Employment Corps 11-Nov-1917
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Gender: Male
Contributed by Kelloe Visitor, Trimdon Station