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Auction: 22133 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 197

The British War Medal awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. Jackson, 110th Mahratta Light Infantry attached 103rd Mahratta Light Infantry, Battalion commander killed at the head of his men at the Battle of Ctesiphon

British War Medal 1914-20 (Lt. Col. C. C. Jackson.), sold together with the recipient's original Army of India service records, nearly extremely fine

Cyril Compton Jackson was born at Northwood, Staffordshire on 22 December 1867, the son of Reverend Charles and Mary Jackson. He was educated at a boarding school in Lincolnshire and later at Newark. Commissioned first into the Militia on 1 April 1887 he was transferred into the Border Regiment with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant on 10 November 1888. Seeing brief service at Malta in 1889 he then proceeded to Chakrata where he was promoted Lieutenant on 9 July 1890.

Jackson remained in India, transferring to the Indian Army on 28 August 1891. Promoted Captain on 10 November 1899 with the 5th Bengal Light Infantry, he was married at St. Thomas' Church, Calcutta with Beatrix Clara Grey. Seeing service in Afghanistan and Kashmir, Jackson then stationed at Allahabad to serve as Adjutant with the local levies. Promoted Major on 10 November 1906 he was still serving with this rank with the 110th Maharatta Light Infantry of the outbreak of the Great War.

Jackson became Lieutenant-Colonel upon being seconded to assume command of the 103rd Maharatta Light Infantry. This unit was posted to Mesopotamia as part of Force 'D' arriving there on 5 December 1914. Captain Spink of the 103rd had fond memories of his new commander stating:

'I shall always remember this march as I rode with Colonel Jackson of the 11th Maharata's [SIC] and one of the best, who with his wife used to drive out from "Nagar to my dam on Sundays. The Colonel was one of the few who took an interest in the country and its prospects, and being a first class artist himself, spent all his spare time sketching. As we rode along he spoke eagerly of the Arch and other ancient monuments we hoped shortly to see and how pleasant a rambling tour of Baghdad would be, little realising that within three days he would be lying dead on the field of Ctesiphon.'

The British force marched on Kut-Al-Amara taking the city and moving further towards Damascus. However they ran up against a major Ottoman force in well prepared defensive positions at Ctesiphon. Over the course of two days General Townsend through his forces against the Ottoman Line. The attacks all failed with high losses, including Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson who was killed in action on 22 November 1915. He is commemorated upon the Basra War Memorial and the Worcester War Memorial; sold together with a copied photograph and blog post entry as well as a an archive of original documentation comprising:

i)
Indian Army Service Records, providing a detailed description of his appointments, service and reports from his first commission up until his death in 1915.

ii)
Two Documents of Commission, one for the Militia the other for the Border Regiment.

iii)
A Telegraph to the recipient asking him to take up a position with the Bhopal Battalion.

iv)
Several letters of appointment to various positions within the Indian Army.

v)
A full medical report dated 1890.

vi)
A condolence slip.

vii)
Four 103rd Maharatta Infantry cufflinks.

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Sold for
£350

Starting price
£40