Private 14402, 7th Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment).
Joseph was born on 20th February 1896, one of the eleven children of Matthew (a carter) and Mary Jackson of Bentham, Lancashire.
A cotton mill worker, he was a well-known member of the Bentham cricket team, and also a member of the St. Margaret's football team. He was one of three pals who went to the North of Scotland on 5th September 1914, with the intention of joining the Seaforth Highlanders only to find that regiment closed to all but Scots. They therefore returned home and enlisted at Lancaster, going to France on 17th July 1915.
He had his 20th birthday in February 1916, and got ten days' furlough to come home. He returned to the trenches in France on the last Sunday in February, and had quite a send-off. He had a premonition that he would not return, for whilst at a friend's house he said, he thought a shell would be landing some day with his number on it.
Joseph Jackson died on 4th July 1916, aged 20 during an attack near La Boisselle.
His mother was made aware of his death in a letter sent to her by one of his pals, Private Dick Wearing, which arrived at her home on 13th July,
'…July 10th, 1916 - Dear Mrs. Jackson, just a few lines to let you know that poor Joe has been killed. I was up at the Company this morning and his Platoon Sergeant told me about him. I was so sorry because there was only Joe and Reuben Wilcock and me from Bentham. Wilcock has been wounded too. So I thought I would just write a few lines to you and let you know. I did not know whether Reuben had written to tell you or not. I thought a lot of Joe. I was talking to him the night before he was killed and he was in the best of health and said he would come down to see me when he came out of the trenches. It is terrible where our lads are in the trenches for shellfire. I can't tell you any more at this time…'
He is also commemorated on plaques in High Bentham Town Hall, St. Margaret's Church and High Bentham Methodist Church.
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