Private Matthew Jackson
Matthew Jackson was born on 15 September 1886 at Islandreagh, Nilteen Grange, County Antrim, the last of eight children of labourer and linen bleacher Matthew Jackson and his wife Jane (nee Morrell). He served an apprenticeship with the Dunadry Bleaching Company, and by the time of the 1911 Census was living as boarder at Bankmore Street, Belfast, and working as a linen lapper.
Jackson enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Antrim on 26 May 1915 (No.1627). Soon after (4 August) he married Bessie Whiteside at the Templepatrick Presbyterian Church.
In November 1915 Jackson suffered an attack of lumbago and was admitted to the Belfast Military Hospital. A later medical board found:
This man states that he is unable to hold himself in the upright position and complains of pain in lower part of back. He walks with a stoop and his step is short. The muscles of back are more or less rigid, and he is generally weak and lacks tone. His general health is fair.
Since 1913 Trooper Jackson has had off & on attacks of Lumbago and on the 27th November 1915 he was admitted to Belfast Military Hospital, suffering from a severe attack of Lumbago. He was discharged from Hospital on Jany 18th 1916 and returned to his unit. On ... 10/2/16 a Travelling Board recommended his discharge for Chronic Rheumatism & Lumbago.
The board found that although the illness was contracted prior to his enlistment, it was "aggravated by ordinary military service, viz exposure in camp."
Jackson was discharged on 9 March 1916, being no longer physically fit for war service (Paragraph 392 xvi, King's Regulations). He military character was recorded as "very good".
Image sourced from North Irish Horse Regimental Association - www.northirishhorse.com.