The Argus Saturday 6 March 1915

Captain Alfred Jackson, of the 58th Regiment, Essendon, who left with the First Expeditionary Force, has been promoted in Egypt to be major.

The Argus 15 May 1915

Major Alfred Jackson (wounded) is an old Melbourne Grammar School "boy", and soon, after the war began he was given a commission in the 7th Battalion as captain. He was promoted to major in Egypt. Major Jackson is 28 years of age.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59603143

The Argus 15 May 1915

PERSONAL PARTICULARS.
MAJOR A. JACKSON.
Major Alfred Jackson (wounded) served   for a number of years before the war as an officer of cadets and in this work he took an enthusiastic interest. He was an old Melbourne Grammar School boy, and from 1901 to 1907 he was an officer of the Grammar School cadets. Soon after the war began he was given a commission in the 7th Battalion, under Lieut Colonel Elliott, as a captain and he was promoted major in Egypt. Major Jackson is only 28 years of age and is unmarried. Major Jackson was the principal partner in the firm of the executors of A Jackson, furriers, Elizabeth street, Melbourne.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1517236

The Argus 29 March 1916

FINAL HOURS AT ANZAC.

AUSTRALIAN, OFFICER'S STORY.

"A major[1] has written an interesting account of the final hours at Anzac to his wife. Prior to enlistment this officer held a position in the Education department. On enlisting, he held a commission with the Essendon Rifles, and was gazetted as a first lieutenant. He was wounded in the landing at Anzac and invalided to England. He returned to Gallipoli and, taking a part in the evacuation, was promoted to major. He writes:

"I had the honour of organising the last party to leave our sector of trenches. A week before the final night our battalion was holding the firing line with another battalion in the rear of us in support.   Gradually, the other battalion left night after night, until we were left without any-one in the support trenches. Then one company of ours went out the night before the final stunt. All that night and next day we had to be very watchful, and kept up a show of strength. At nightfall that evening another company left, and in an hour or so another company cleared out. Part of my company had gone with the others and I was left with 60 of my men, supported by two machineguns and with sufficient signallers and other details to keep things moving.

It was very exciting, I tell you for as each battalion left I had to keep spreading my men out, and finally had to hang on with only 60 men and two officers to hold a front that a week ago was  a two-battalion job. The night simply flew.  At 2 am the machine guns and signallers left, and my boys kept firing to some purpose. Then I sent one-third of my men away  under an officer, and a little later another third which left me with 20 of my own men still pretending to be two battalions. There was a party of bomb throwers standing by under an officer, and a few details besides. At about 20 minutes to 3 I gathered my men and halted them in a sap to check the roll and see that I had left no one behind. By jove, I have some bonnie men and some splendid sergeants. Not a murmur nor an impatient movement us we made sure we had left no one behind. Then I shook hands with the officer[2], who was to follow in 10 minutes with the bomb throwers at the double if necessary,  and we marched out without the slightest  hurry or bustle and tramped at a steady pace about a couple of miles to the lighter.  We got on a motor lighter without mishap, and every lighter got away before ours and we hung on to pick up the very last. Several explosions went up (they were evacuating along the front at the same hours as we were) and the Turks thinking they were the prelude to an attack, opened up  such a din of musketry as I have never heard.

Bullets sang over us continuously, Beachy Bill got active, and there we sat, and could do nothing but sit. At last we got under way and out to a ship. Got on board, and, at last, having seen to everything, officers congregated in the saloon at the small tables and had a drink and a snack. Presently I knew no more and, waking some time later, found all over the saloon the one picture. At every table six men were seated and six heads were lying on each table as I had been, and all were sound asleep. I ducked again, and knew no more till I was rudely awakened by stewards rushing about opening portholes and the daylight creeping through. It was a wonderful experience - if it was a runaway". 

 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2109131

[1]  The 7th Infantry Battalion war unit diary shows that Major A Jackson was in charge of "C" party which was the last to leave their Battalion trenches at the evacuation.

[2]  2nd Lieutenant James Bowtell-Harris.

NB: It is not certain that the author of the letter was Major Alfred Jackson,  though he did participate in the evacuation in the way described, and he had been a member of the Essendon Rifles.

War Services Old Melburnians 1914-18.

Letters from Old Melburnians:

D. P. WALKER writes from Egypt on May 15th [1916].....

"ALF. JACKSON is Major, and second-in-command
to a Batt., now in France, I believe.

p168 [25 August 1916]

HARRY WHITE holds a commission with
the A.I.F., and is at present in France....

Col. JACKSON is now in Salisbury (England), in

charge of the 15th training battalion. Jackson

was on the west front, and was sent back, I

think, suffering from shell shock."

p168 [15 May 1917]

War Service Particulars

A. JACKSON was on 19th August 1914  appointed Captain and after embarkation was on 1st January 1915 promoted to Major being on 10th September appointed to temporary command of 7th Battalion on his return to duty from Hospital. After arrival in France he was on 16th June 1916 promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel to command 60th Battalion and on 30th July 1916 was appointed to command 25th Infantry Training Battalion. Subsequently he was appointed to command No. 3 Command Depot and he relinquished this on 13th September 1918 and was on 14th October 1918 posted to command No. 4 Command Depot. On 27th March 1919 his name was gazetted as having been brought to the notice of Secretary of State for War for valuable services rendered in connection with the war and on 3rd June 1919 he was awarded O.B.E. Having returned to Australia his appointment was terminated on 31st January 1920.

p 329.

CONSECRATION OF COLOURS

There was a large gathering at the Coburg Cricket-ground on Sunday afternoon,   when the regimental colours presented to the 59th Battalion by the citizens of Brunswick and Coburg were consecrated and presented. The consecration ceremony was performed by the Rev John Mathew, and the flags were presented on behalf of Councillor H J Richards (mayor of Coburg) and Councillor A R. Holbrook (mayor of Brunswick), by Brigadier-General H E Elliott, who commands the 15th Infantry Brigade, of which the battalion is a unit.  Lieut-Colonel A. Jackson commands the battalion.

CONSECRATION OF COLOURS. (1927, April 11). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 16. Retrieved May 28, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3848548

A most enjoyable dance was held by the officers of the 39th Battalion in the mess at Burwood road Hawthorn, last night, at which the guests were received by the commanding officer (Lieut-Colonel A Jackson), the mess president (Major L N Roach) and members of the officers' mess committee. The honorary colonel of the regiment (Major-General G J Johnston) and the divisional commander (Major General Sir Thomas Blamey) were present.

... Happy Parties Yesterday.. (1936, September 26). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 24. Retrieved May 28, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11919245