Jackson, James Richard

2664 Private James Richard Jackson - 51st Battalion AIF

James Richard Jackson was born in East Fremantle WA in 1898 to Baillie and Mary Jackson. He was educated locally and grew up in East Fremantle however the family moved to North Perth in the 1900's.

During his school years in Perth James served in the 88B Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces. After leaving school he took up employment as a butcher.

On the 27th June 1916 James enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 7 inches;

Weight - 120lbs;

Chest Measurement - 31-34 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Dark Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment, James was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.76 Training Depot. He had three weeks here being taken through the basics of infantry work and was then transferred to the 6th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion AIF. He would train with this group in WA for the next two and a half months.

On the 10th October 1916 James and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Suffolk. The ship then set sail for England, reaching Plymouth Harbour on the 2nd December 1916. After being disembarked James and his group were then sent to the 13th Training Battalion on the Salisbury Plains.

He had about four weeks of further training here and on the 29th December 1916 went to Folkestone Harbour to board a ship for France. On arrival at Etaples James was sent to the 4th Australian Division Base Depot Camp. However he did not have long there as he was taken on strength of the 51st Battalion on the 1st January 1917.

The 51st Battalion were then situated on the Somme battlefield near Flers. They were here for the next two months but in March 1917 the Germans began their withdrawal to their pre-planned defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line. The Australian and British units pressed this withdrawal closely and several sharp battles were fought around what was known as the Outpost Line Villages. On the 31st March 1917 James was wounded in the arm by shrapnel as his unit were in the vicinity of Vaulx-Vraucourt. He was taken to the 5th Field Ambulance for initial treatment and was then sent on to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station. From there he was sent to the 12th General Hospital at Rouen.

James had two weeks in hospital at Rouen but on the 15th April 1917 was shipped to England on the hospital ship called Western Australia. On arrival in England, James was sent to No.1 London General Hospital and he was a patient there till the 26th May 1917. He was now well enough to be given a two week furlough. On the 11th June 1917 James reported into No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny.

After a week there James was sent to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains. He was put on the camp staff and would remain here till April 1918 when he was transferred to the 12th Training Battalion. He was stationed there for a further two months but on the 17th June 1918 was sent back to France and rejoined the 51st Battalion on the 1st July 1918.

When he rejoined them the 51st battalion were then on the Villers-Bretonneux front. 

On August 8th 1918 the advance from Villers-Bretonneux commenced which put the Germans on retreat. The Australians, British and Canadian divisions pushed the Germans back along the front and for the next few months kept advancing.

The 51st Battalion soon went north of the Somme and advanced towards Bray. They then returned south of the Somme River and rejoined the 4th Division in the advance. The 51st battalion fought their last action on September 18th 1918 and James came through safely again. He had served through the last few months without being wounded.

When the Armistice was signed on the 11th November 1918 the 51st Battalion were still out of the line. The Germans now withdrew to within their own borders and the Australian units went into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. From December 1918 to May 1919 the Australians remained in these areas.

In early December 1918 James had a short stay in hospital and was soon returned to his unit but on the 11th December was returned to hospital and for the next few months James was either in hospital, the convalescent camp or the base depot camp. He did not return to the 51st Battalion until the 27th February 1919.

He then remained in France for the next several weeks and returned to England on the 22nd April 1919. On arrival he was sent to No.4 Group Camp at Hurdcott and would wait here to be assigned a berth on atroopship home.

On the 21st June 1919 James boarded the transport ship Kongin Louise and set sail for home, arriving at Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 10th September 1919.

He then moved down to Bunbury where he found work as a plasterer.

In 1927 in Fremantle James married Alice Mary Burgess and they set up residence at 16 Stephen Street Fremantle. They would live in Stevens Street till the 1950's. They then moved to Esperance Street Victoria Park. They were there till the 1970's

James died on the 19th December 1975 in Victoria Park. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.