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Victor Musgrave JACKSON #379B

By Marg Powel & Des Crump | 11 December 2018

Service record, Victor Jackson

Service record for Victor Jackson, Courtesy National Archives of Australia

Indigenous Australian, Victor JACKSON, 2nd Machine Gun Company

One of 10 children born to William Hartley Musgrave Jackson and Louisa Brown, Victor enlisted in the first AIF in February 1916, age 33, apparently not for the first time. He stated that he had earlier been rejected on medical grounds, this time however he was gladly accepted to serve with the 3rd Machine Gun Company and travelled to the Machine Gun Depot in Seymour, Victoria with the other reinforcements.

They departed for England in September 1916 aboard 'HMAT Commonwealth' arriving in Plymouth almost 8 weeks later. Their first camp was at Parkhouse, on Salisbury Plain where they undertook further training until March 1917 when they were drafted to embark for active service in France.

Men from the 2nd Machine Gun Company, 1918

Men from the 2nd Machine Gun Company, 1918 (State Library of Queensland collection)

Jackson was then assigned to the 2nd Machine Gun Company and joined them at Dernancourt in northern France. Later that year he was appointed Lance Corporal in the field.

In May 1918 Jackson was seriously wounded in the left hand. He was admitted to the 26th Australian General hospital in Etaples for treatment, before eventually returning to his unit in August 1918. Barely 10 days later, Jackson was wounded for the second time, in his right hand. This time he was evacuated for treatment in England in the 4th Southern General Hospital at Plymouth.

HMAT Themistocles

HMAT Themistocles carrying returned soldiers, being welcomed home, Melbourne (State Library of Victoria collection)

Jackson was later discharged to No.2 Convalescent Depot at Weymouth but he would not see active service again. The hostilities in France and the Middle East came to an end leaving thousands of soldiers waiting to be returned home.

Jackson was granted extend leave during 1919 and he took this opportunity to marry Josephine Barron of Bethnal Green. The newly weds eventually sailed for Australia on board the Themistocles, finally arriving in Brisbane in February 1920.

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The information in this blog post has been researched by State Library staff and volunteers, it is based on available information at this time. If you have more information that you would like to share or further research uncovers new findings, this post will be updated.

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