Jackson, Roy

3400 Private Roy Melmoth Jackson - 51st Battalion AIF

Roy Melmoth Jackson was born in Fremantle in 1896 to Alec and Mary Jackson. He had several siblings, Harold (1889), Hilda (1890), Ruby (1891), Ernest (1892), Herbert (1894), Daisy (1897), Alexander (1899), Lillian (1902), Hilda (1905) and Victor (1907).

The family had moved to Western Australia in 1895 before Roy was born and took up residence at 41 Glyde Street East Fremantle (now called 19 Glyde Street). Roy was educated at East Fremantle Primary School and grew up in the local area.

After leaving school Roy took up work as a Boilermakers Assistant and during this time completed his cadets service and then spent 2 years service with the main 86th Infantry regiment of the Citizens Military Forces.

On the 30th August 1916 Roy enlisted into the AIF. Two of his older brothers had already enlisted in 1915, Harold and Ernest. Harold had just been killed at Pozieres on the 6th August 1916 while serving with the 16th Battalion, and this may have been a spur for Roy to enlist.

Roy was passed as fit by the medical examiner who had recorded his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 5 & 3/4 inches tall;

Weight - 131lbs;

Chest Measurement - 31-33 inches;

Complexion - Medium;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment, Roy was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 23rd Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group for the next few months. However on the 10th January 1917 Roy was transferred to the 9th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion. Roy may have requested this transfer as his brother Ernie was currently serving with the 51st Battalion in France.

Roy only had a few weeks with this group in WA as on the 29th January 1917, the reinforcement group went aboard the transport ship HMAT Miltiades and set sail for England, disembarking at Devonport on the 27th March 1917.

Upon being disembarked the group was sent to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains. Roy would train at Codford for the next three months.

On the 25th June 1917 Roy was sent to France and upon arriving at Le Havre was sent into the 4th Australian Division Base Depot. He had a few weeks at this base depot and joined the 51st Battalion on the 15th July 1917.

The 51st Battalion were then in the Messines sector and they would remain there till August 1917. In September the Battalion moved to Ypres where they took part in the current offensive operations there. Roy saw action at Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke and Broodseinde Ridge.

On the 19th October 1917 Roy was evacuated wounded with gas poisoning. He was first sent to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance as this unit specialised in poison gas cases. From here Roy was sent to the 10th Casualty Clearing Station. Roy then had a few days at the 7th Canadian General Hospital at Etaples.

On the 24th October 1917 Roy was then shipped off to England and upon arrival was sent to the Kitchener War Hospital at Brighton. He had a month in hospital recovering and on the 22nd November 1917 he was sent to No.3 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott. Roy's fitness was now assessed and it was decided he could return to his unit after a few more months.

On the 25th January 1918 Roy was sent to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell. He had a few more weeks here and on the 14th February 1918 was shipped back to France. He rejoined the 51st Battalion on the 21st February 1918. The Battalion was then holding the line between Ypres and Messines in Belgium.

As a result of the German offensive on March 21st 1918 which broke through the British front further south, the Australian Divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop this German advance. The 51st Battalion initially went to Bresle near Albert and then further forward to Dernancourt. The 51st Battalion was one of the units which helped stop the German advance at Dernancourt on April 5th 1918. 

On April 24th 1918 the Germans advanced again and captured Villers-Bretonneux. A counter attack was immediately organised with the 13th and 15th Australian Brigades plus a British unit to recapture the village.

The counter attack was successful and Villers-Bretonneux was recaptured. However the casualties for the 51st Battalion had been very heavy. Roy survived the clash unscathed and his brother Ernie was awarded the Military Medal for bravery.

After a short rest, the Battalion then remained around Villers-Bretonneux for the next three months. On the 22nd May 1918 Roy was evacuated to hospital ill, but it was only slight and he was back with his unit by the 4th June 1918.

Roy was with the 51st Battalion on the 8th August 1918 when they took part in the advance from Villers-Bretonneux which broke through the German line. Two days after the advance commenced Roy was evacuated ill with influenza. He was sent to the 2nd Canadian Hospital at Le Treport and had the next few weeks recovering.

Roy rejoined the 51st Battalion on the 18th September 1918 which was the date of the last Battalion action which was fought at Le Verguier. The 51st Battalion was then pulled out of the line for a well deserved rest period.

Roy was with his unit when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.

After the German surrender, the Australian units were sent into the areas of France and Belgium that had been under German occupation and they remained here for the next few months. On the 24th December 1918 Roy was granted leave to England and was able to spend Christmas and New Year there.

He returned to the 51st Battalion in Belgium on the 14th January 1919. In February 1919 Roy had a short secondment with the 4th Australian Division football team, and only returned to the 51st battalion on the 31st march 1919.

On the 22nd April 1919 Roy returned to England and was sent to the AIF camp at Hurdcott to await being assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 21st June 1919 he boarded the transport ship Kongin Louise and set sail for home, disembarking in Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919.

After the war Roy returned home to Fremantle and took up employment as a boilermaker and was living at 76 Duke Street East Fremantle.

Roy was discharged from the AIF on the 10th September 1919.

After the war he resumed his trade of Boilermaker and was living at 76 Duke Street. He then moved around East Fremantle for a few years, being at 148 King Street, 109 Sewell Street and 59 Silas St.

In 1928 he married Bertha Graham and they would have two children, Alexander in 1928 and Janice in 1945.

In 1931 the family was living in Oakover Street East Fremantle and in 1937 had moved to Harris Rd Bicton.

The family were at Aberdare St Bicton through the 1940's but by the 1950's had moved to 90 Harris Road Bicton.

In the 1960's Roy had moved to 58 Rennie Crescent South Fremantle.

Roy died on the 4th January 1972 aged 75. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.