Thomas Norman Jackson VC

b. 11/02/1897 Swinton, South Yorkshire. d. 27/09/1918 Canal du Nord, France.

Thomas Norman Jackson (1897-1918) was born on 11th February 1897 at 2 Broomville Street or 3 Market Street, Swinton, near Rotherham, West Riding of Yorkshire. His father, Thomas Edwin Jackson, was born in Swinton and was known as Edwin. He was a labourer in a coalmine. He married Emma Vickers on 14th November 1894 at Swinton. Thomas had four siblings – Elsie (died aged 14), Charlotte, Bernard and Hannah.

Thomas was educated at Bridge Council School, Swinton and was a fitter’s apprentice at an iron works in 1911. He was employed alongside his father for a short time at Messrs Ward & Son, mineral water manufacturers. Thomas later worked as an engine cleaner at the Great Central Railways Locomotive Depot at Mexborough. He was a member of the Primitive Methodist Church in Swinton and was a keen athlete, taking part in swimming, boxing and wrestling. He enlisted in the Coldstream Guards at Mexborough on 22nd November 1915 and went to France to join the 1st Battalion in October 1917. He was appointed acting lance corporal on 11th June 1918.

Thomas N Jackson VC

His division were storming the Canal Du Nord which was a part of the Hindenburg Line, which was a vast system of German defences in the North Eastern area of France. On 27th September 1918, Norman’s battalion was ordered to breach the German defences over the Canal du Nord. Whilst being held up by machine gun fire, Thomas’ Company Commander, Captain Frisby, asked for volunteers to charge the machine gun nest which was holding them up. Thomas was one the first to volunteer along with another man. They both followed their company commander and managed to take over two of the machine guns and took twelve of the soldiers as prisoners. This allowed his company to advance.

Later on in the same day, his platoon was ordered to charge an enemy trench. Thomas was one of the first to charge into the trench and was noted to have shouted ‘Come on boys!’ He jumped into the trench and killed the first two soldiers he met. He was then shot in the head and died. Captain Frisby recommended him for the Victoria Cross. His Victoria Cross citation reads that he displayed ‘Great Valour’. He died with the rank of Lance Corporal.

Thomas was buried with full military honours in Sanders Keep Military Cemetery, Graincourt-les-Havrincourt, France. Jackson’s award was published in the London Gazette on 26th November 1918. His fiancée Daisy Flatt, from Kenley, Surrey, and his sister Charlotte (Lottie) were presented with his Victoria Cross by King George V on Saturday 29th March 1919.

His name is displayed on the memorial plaque at the Mexborough Railway Station where he worked as an engine cleaner during peacetime. Unfortunately, Lance Corporal Jackson’s name was not added to the Great Central Railway War Memorial when it was built in Sheffield in 1922. It wasn’t until 2016 that L/Cpl Jackson’s name was added to the memorial. A painting was commissioned by the local constabulary which is hanging in the Swinton Library. He is named on the Swinton War Memorial, and he also has a VC commemorative stone unveiled there on 27th September 2018. He is also named on the fountain in the Memorial Garden, Clifton Park, Rotherham. He also has a memorial plaque outside the VC Trust Charity Shop in Doncaster, on the Household Division Honour Roll at Wellington Barracks, London.

In addition to the VC, he was awarded the British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19. The medals were presented to the Coldstream Guards by his brother, Bernard, on 12th June 1969. They are held at the RHQ Coldstream Guards, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: COLDSTREAM GUARDS RHQ, WELLINGTON BARRACKS, LONDON.

BURIAL PLACE: SANDERS KEEP MILITARY CEMETERY, GRAINCOURT, FRANCE.

PLOT II, ROW D, GRAVE 4