POOR OLD BILL
WE REMEMBER HIM STILL
(JOCK)
LOVING BROTHERS

PRIVATE WILLIAM JACKSON

CHESHIRE REGIMENT

29TH OCTOBER 1917 AGE 27

BURIED: MENDINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY, PROVEN, BELGIUM


Bill - William Jackson - was the second of four brothers, one of whom, Frank, chose his inscription. It's an affectionate inscription for a family that had fragmented following their mother's death in 1900. Father, Isaac Jackson, with his eldest son, Harold, went to live with Isaac sister's family, whilst William, Frank and Charles went to live with Isaac's brother.
William was a volunteer who served with the 16th Battalion Cheshire Regiment, originally a Bantam Battalion for men under 5' 3'', the minimum height requirement for soldiers. There is nothing to say how tall William Jackson was.
Jackson died of wounds at a Casualty Clearing Station in Proven on 29 October 1917. The 16th Cheshires had been in action on the 22 October South of Houlthorst Forest. The war diary recorded how the night of the 21st/22nd "was bitterly cold and there were heavy showers after midnight, the men underwent extreme discomfort and were wet through and perished with cold before zero hour arrived". When zero hour did arrive the men struggled to keep up with the barrage as the ground was pitted with shell holes which in some places were knee deep in water. Relieved soon after midnight on the 23rd their casualties totalled 9 officers and 37 Other Ranks killed, wounded and missing. Jackson would have been among the wounded. He died six days later.