Jackson, Harold Melmeth

No.4634 – Private Harold Melmeth Jackson – 16^th Battalion AIF

Harold Melmeth Jackson was born in North Adelaide South Australia on 12^th February 1889 to Alexander and Mary Jackson. The family moved to Western Australia while Harold was still young and took up residence at 41 Glyde Street East Fremantle. (Now called 19 Glyde Street).

Harold was educated at East Fremantle Primary School and also served for two years in the senior cadets. On the 2^nd November 1915 Harry went to the Perth Drill Hall to enlist in the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner finding him to be 5 feet 3 ½ inches tall; weight of 119 lbs; chest measurement of 32-25 inches, blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

Harry was initially sent to No.35 Depot at Blackboy Hill Camp. Two weeks later he transferred to ‘A’ Company of 4 Depot Battalion. On the 16^th December 1915 Harry was transferred to the 14^th Reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next seven weeks when their orders for departure came through. On the 12^th February 1916 Harry’s group boarded the H.M.A.T. “Miltiades” in Fremantle Harbour and set sail overseas.

After the long sea voyage their ship pulled into Suez on the 11^th March 1916. The men were disembarked and sent to their various camps, with Harry being sent to the 4^th Training Battalion. He was only in this camp for a few weeks as on the 2^nd April 1916 at Serapeum Camp Harry was officially taken on strength of the 16^th Battalion AIF. He trained with them for the next few months in the Egyptian desert, awaiting their orders to leave for France.

On the 1^st June 1916 the 16^th Battalion entrained for Alexandria where they boarded the troopship H.M.T. “Canada” and set sail for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 9^th June 1916. After their arrival, the men of the 16^th were disembarked, marched through Marseilles and put on to trains which would take them to the north of France. Disappointingly for the men, the journey bypassed Paris as they made their way north. However a few days after their arrival at Marseilles, the 16^th Battalion arrived in French Flanders.

By the end of June 1916 the 16^th Battalion had their first taste of life on the Western Front near Fleurbaix. They remained here until mid July 1916 when they were relieved by the 5^th Division. The 16^th Battalion as part of the 4^th Division were then sent to the Somme battlefield. The 1^st Australian Division had captured Pozieres village on July 23^rd and were relieved in turn by the 2^nd Division, who managed to further the gains already made. In early August 1916 the 4^th Division went into the line to relieve the 2^nd Division. On the 6^th August 1916, shortly after the 16^th’s arrival in the battlefield Harry was killed. He was buried at the time and after the war when war graves parties came through they located his grave and exhumed him and placed him in Pozieres British Cemetery in plot III.K.20.

Two of Harry’s brothers also served; No.3376 Private Ernest Jackson served with the 51^st Battalion and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery, he returned home in 1919. No.3400 Private Roy Jackson also served in the 51^st Battalion, returning home in 1919.