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Auction: 24112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 110

Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp (Lieut. S. Jackson. 81st Foot.), contact wear overall

Spencer Jackson was born on 26 January 1853 at Parson Drove Rectory, Cambridgeshire. Commissioned Lieutenant in March 1873 he is noted in his service records as taking part in the Jowaki Expedition in 1877. Posted to the 81st Regiment on 3 December 1878 he served with them in Afghanistan until 19 January 1879 when the Regiment returned to India having lost over 200 men to sickness. Advanced Captain with the 1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire on 2 February 1881. Serving the following year as Adjutant of the 11 Lancashire Volunteer Rifles, Jackson was promoted Major with the 1st Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment on 10 May 1889.

Rising within the Battalion he became Second-in-Command on 26 June 1896 which placed him in the role on the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War. The Battalion had been split in half by this time with Jackson keeping his half below the Tugela while the Battalion Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Kekewich took the other half to Kimberly. When the Anglo-Boer War began Jackson's half Battalion was added to General Lord Methuen's relief column.

As part of the 9th Brigade they saw heavy fighting at the Battle of Belmont, clearing Table Mount, and were later in the centre of the British line at the Battle of Graspan (Enslin). Stationed on the left during the Battle of Modder River the half Battalion, along with the Shropshire Lige Infantry managed to work their way around the Boer lines. Crossing the river at the Rosmead Drift they broke the defensive lines beyond, storming and holding a farmhouse. The unit again came into action during the Battle of Magersfontein, being deployed to prevent Boer forces from working around the British lines.

After being halted at Magersfontein Jackson was advanced Lieutenant-Colonel and given command of the 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. His service records note two more significant actions, those being first Lidley on 1 July, which saw the capture of the 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. The second was the Rhenoster River on 11 June which saw the similar surrounding and capture of the 4th (Militia) Battalion of the Derbyshire Regiment.

After the War, Jackson retired with the rank of Honourary Colonel of the 5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment; sold together with copied research including service papers, army lists and an extract from The Afghan Campaign.

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Sold for
£300

Starting price
£100