Brigadier John Albert Jackson, MBE,

Gm

18th December 1935 -

13th June 2023

St Christopher’s recently lost a much-loved member of their congregation, Brigadier John Jackson. For many years John did the declaration of remembrance at our Remembrance Day Services and always looked resplendent in his medals. He enjoyed our garden parties with gusto and was a most amusing and interesting man. The stoicism he showed whilst in constant pain from his damaged back was a lesson to us all. His daughters Fiona and Jane have kindly given us this lovely photo of John and his obituary below. He was a much loved friend to so many and we will all miss him greatly.

Brigadier John Albert Jackson was born on 18th December 1935 in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire. He was the middle child of five, with two elder and two younger sisters. His early life was humble, yet fulfilling, and he described himself as a typical, stubborn, Yorkshireman.

He went to the local grammar school where he showed a strong aptitude for singing, piano, and theory of music. John left school at the age of sixteen and went to work for Dorman Long (a steel producer best known for constructing the Sydney Harbour Bridge) but carried on studying for the Associated Board of Music exams, pursuing what became a lifelong interest. He was offered a Scholarship by The Royal Academy of Music in London but at the age of eighteen National Service beckoned and he joined the Royal Army Pay Corps, initially posted to Stockbridge, near Winchester, where in his spare time he was able to continue his music studies under the guidance of the Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral.

John enjoyed military life and showed his leadership qualities, prompting his CO to recommend him for Officer Training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, starting in January 1956. He became a Junior Under Officer and was awarded the end of course prize in ‘Modern Subjects ’(Politics and Economics) before being commissioned into the RAOC.

His initial posting after Sandhurst was to Cyprus where he met a British Forces teacher called Monica, the Deputy Headmistress at the Forces School, whom he married in 1960 and they then spent 52 very happy years together.

Throughout 1961, John attended the year-long Ammunition and Technical Officers’ (ATO) course at the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham after which he was posted to Liverpool as ATO, North West District which was where their first child, Fiona, was born in 1962. After attending an Ordnance Officers’ course, the family was then posted to Berlin, where Jane was born in 1965.

John was always interested in horses, firstly at Sandhurst then in Cyprus, regularly hunting and playing polo. In Berlin this equine interest was continued within the Berlin British Services Saddle club, which he ran. Horseracing was also to feature in John's post-army life some years later.

He was selected for the Army Staff Course, Camberley and moved there in 1967 but before doing so, John studied for and successfully passed A levels in Economics and Economic History and an O Level in Accountancy, exams he had missed out on at school. After successfully completing the ASC, he was posted to Far East Land Forces (FARELF), Singapore which provided many Staff challenges - a major reinforcement exercise involving all three services of nine countries, the logistics plan for the eventual withdrawal of forces from FARELF, and the coordinated relief plan for East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the flood disaster of 1971. John also planned and co-ordinated the 1971 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Singapore involving 32 countries and 26 Heads of State after which he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

In 1972 he was posted to Central Ammunition Depot (CAD) Bramley, Surrey and undertook additional specialist Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training then taking over as Officer Commanding (OC) 321 EOD with responsibilities for bomb disposal in Northern Ireland. 1972 was a very significant time in NI with a very challenging workload and constant Extremely High Readiness to act. Bombing campaigns increased with hijacked trains, bombs inside petrol tankers, damage to prestige buildings in major cities, and the increasingly ingenious and deadly use of devices in the countryside supported by cleverly disguised booby traps in culverts and within walls all aimed to kill service personnel but particularly EOD specialists.

In June 1974 whilst in Belfast, John was called to Andersonstown Police Station following a report of a suspicious vehicle. The immediate action had been to put a cordon around the area. John arrived at the cordon and asked for the Command Post only to be mistakenly directed by the nervous young soldier towards the suspicious vehicle which exploded as John approached, blowing him through a shop’s plate glass window. A trip to Musgrave Hospital was required to remove shards of glass from his back but no X Rays were taken which would have shown damage to his spine, a problem that would haunt him throughout the rest of his life.

For his service leading 321 EOD, John was awarded the George Medal for acts of great bravery and gallantry.

His GM citation relates that, “He has personally attended over 100 bomb incidents and was involved in the successful neutralisation of over 50 devices. He always appeared completely calm and his cool methodical approach to the task of defusing the most destructive terrorist weapons was an inspiration to all ATOs and a source of admiration and respect to the security forces with whom he worked.”

Felix - the cat with nine lives. No wonder 321 EOD remain the most decorated unit in the British Army.

His next posting was to the Adjutant General’s Secretariat in the MOD, London, which also afforded him the opportunity of resuming singing with the London Choral Society. Promotion to Lieutenant Colonel came alongside a posting to HQ BAOR in Rheindahlen, Germany. In 1978 he was posted to become Commander of RAOC for 2nd Armoured Division in Lübbecke and was then promoted to Colonel in 1979 and returned to HQ BAOR. A further appointment in the MOD, London, in the Military Secretary’s office was followed by promotion to Brigadier and a posting as Commander, Bicester Garrison, the Army’s largest stores depot. Proximity to Oxford also afforded him the opportunity to join the Oxford Bach Choir and continue his love of singing.

In 1985 he returned to the MOD as Director of Supply Operations, responsible for the Army’s stores, vehicles, ammunition, and petroleum depots throughout the UK. In 1989, at the age of 53, and after a life of military service, John retired from the Army and moved to Dorset.

John remained active afterwards becoming Secretary of the Horserace Betting Levy Board in London and later Deputy Chairman of the Dorset NHS Trust. He supported his wife Monica through her last years before she died in 2013.

In his latter years John remained an avid reader and would literally read a newspaper from cover to cover. He was engaging on almost any topic, from politics to sport to the arts. His mind remained sharp and he continued to take a genuine interest in everyone around him, but his body yielded to his military injuries with several operations endeavouring to relieve the issues around his spine and the constant pain he suffered. He remained very smartly dressed, rarely without a tie, and an example to his four grandchildren of whom he was very proud. Latterly he resided at Oak Hall Care Home in Haslemere, close to the love and support of his two daughters .

His grandchildren were asked for their lasting memories of John - the prime view was of a thoughtful, humorous, gentleman, who was undoubtedly brave, inspiring, and in their eyes a very much loved hero. However, the most often used word in messages of condolence from friends and family has been the word ‘legend’

He leaves us bereft but with wonderful memories of a very full life.

Obituary provided by the family, via Frances Reincke