Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

William Robert Jackson was born on 5 April 1880 at Waimate, the elder son of Susey Hannah Jackson. Susey had another son Alfred John Jackson, born in 1884 at Waimate, before she married John Kaan in 1888. Young William was educated at the Waimate District High School, where he received a prize for Standard VI general proficiency in December 1892.

W. R. Jackson, a labourer at Waimate, South Canterbury served with the Eighth Contingent in the South African War (Service Number 5670). On that occasion, his nominated next-of-kin was listed as his father – Robert Jackson, C/o Mrs J. Kaan, Waimate, South Canterbury. It seems that William Robert Jackson may have grown up knowing his grandfather as his father and his mother as a sister. He embarked per the “Cornwall” on 8 February 1902.

Come 2 October 1914 and W. R. Jackson attested at Timaru for service in World War One. Medically examined on 2 October, he stood at 5 feet 7 inches, weighed 146 pounds, had a chest measurement of 34-37 inches, and was of fair complexion, light brown eyes and brown hair. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed. His upper teeth were false, his lower good. Free from diseases and vaccinated he was in good bodily and mental health. There were tattoo marks on both forearms. A saddler, single and Anglican, he was residing at Hughes Street, Waimate and named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs S. H. Kaan, Naylor Street, Waimate. His brother Alfred Jackson was also named. Having volunteered and passed the medical inspection at the Drill Shed in Waimate, William was among those ready to leave “at any moment” in early October 1914 for the concentration camp at Trentham. He was in a party of young men who left Waimate by the express in mid-October 1914 for life under canvas at the Trentham reinforcements camp. At Trentham he enlisted on 20 October. Trooper W. R. Jackson embarked for Suez, Egypt with the Canterbury Mounted Rifles on 14 December 1914, disembarking at Alexandria on 2 February 1915.

He embarked for the Dardanelles on 9 May 1915. On 10 August 1915, W. R. Jackson was admitted to the New Zealand General Hospital at Cairo with a septic leg (hand?). Two days later he was transferred to Lady Godley’s Home. William Robert Jackson was invalided home – for change - per the “Willochra” which left on 23 September 1915 and was due about 30 October 1915. His brother Alfred Jackson, C/o H. Saunders, Waimate, was advised of this. A Medical Board assembled at Timaru on 1 February 1916 first examined W. R. Jackson. At that time, he was an out-patient of Waimate Hospital. His original disability was dysentery and a septic hand, caused by infection. It was noted that there were no consequent disabilities and he had recovered. The Medical Board assembled at Wellington on 31 March 1916 noted that his progress was slow and that he was not fit for active service. His disability was caused by military duty at Gallipoli, resulting in a septic hand and dysentery. He was discharged on 3 April 1916, medically unfit for Active Service. He had served in Egypt and at Gallipoli, and was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.

William then re-enlisted for Home Service, on 23 July 1917 at Timaru, and was posted to Q.M. Stores. Now a cook and his address C/o Mrs J. Kaan, Racecourse Road, Waimate, he named his sister as next-of-kin - Mrs J. Kaan, Racecourse Road, Waimate. This was surely his mother. His parents were recorded as Robert and Grace Jackson who were born in England and had been in New Zealand about 35 years. Robert and Grace (née Barker) Jackson were, in fact, his grandparents, the parents of his mother – Susey Hannah Kaan (née Jackson). They too emigrated to New Zealand, probably with their only child, Susey. Both died at the Waimate residence of their son-in-law, J. Kaan, in July 1912. His medical examination of 6 July 1917 differed little from the earlier one, apart from the eye colour. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 11 stone 7 pounds, and had a chest measurement 34-37½ inches. His complexion was medium, his eyes blue, and his hair medium brown. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed. His upper teeth were artificial, the lower sufficient. There was, of course, the chronic dysentery at Gallipoli, but he was free from diseases, was vaccinated, and was in good bodily and mental health. Remarks – “This man is in excellent health. So far as I can discover there is no sign of his old times (dysentery) & no evidence of other contagious disease.” On 25 November 1917 while with Stores at Trentham, he lost one day’s pay for absence. W. R. Jackson received a Certificate of Leave in lieu of Discharge on 14 February 1918, when it was noted that he was of good character. W. Jackson listed under Answered the Call in the Roll of Honour published regularly in the Waimate Daily Advertiser from May 1916 until October 1918, was very likely to be William Robert Jackson. After the war William resumed his work as a cook or chef.

In May 1921 at Waimate, William Jackson was the victim of theft, his gold-filled watch valued at £3.10s being stolen from his room at the hotel where he worked. The address of William Robert Jackson in March 1921 was indeed Care of Waimate Hotel, Waimate, and later the Criterion Hotel. William Robert Jackson married Hilda Agnes Smith in January 1947, at the age of 66. Four and a half years later he died – on 12 August 1951 at the Hospital, Waimate, aged 71 years. Following a service at his residence, 158 High Street, Waimate, he was buried in an RSA plot at the Waimate Lawn Cemetery. Hilda, who was also a native of Waimate, died on 30 December 1961, aged 66 years. She was buried with her parents (Robert Young Smith and Mary Ann Sinclair Gunn) in the Old Waimate Cemetery. Hilda’s brother Albert David Smith was killed in action on 12 October 1917 at Passchendaele. William’s mother died just two years before him, in 1949, and his stepfather in 1933. His brother, Alfred John Jackson, and half-brother, Richard Henry Kaan (Harry), also served in World War One.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [22 December 2023]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Collections – Record number 0002798) [22 & 28 December 2023]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [22 December 2023]; Timaru Herald, 28 December 1892, 7 February 1902, 6, 20 & 22 October 1914, Temuka Leader, 8 February 1902, Waimate Daily Advertiser, 8 & 17 July 1912, 21 October 1914, 30 October 1915, 20 May 1916, 31 October 1918, 9 May 1921, Sun, 19 October 1915, Evening Star, 29 October 1915, Press, 14 August 1951, 2 January 1962 (Papers Past) [27 & 30 December 2023]; Funeral Directors records (South Canterbury Genealogy Society transcriptions) [December 2023]; Waimate Cemetery burial records [27 December 2023]; Waimate Cemetery headstone image (Find a Grave) [27 December 2023]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [28 December 2023]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file
• Other military personnel file

Related Documents

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