Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 171 continued ... Following his mother’s passing, Roderick and his older sister, Ida, resided with family in Pictou County. He subsequently enrolled at Pictou Academy but placed his studies on hold to enlist for military service in the Boer (South African) War (1899 - 1902). As the minimum age requirement was 22, Roderick stated his age as 21 years and 11 months old, even though he was barely 18 at the time. The fact that he stood five feet nine inches may explain why military recruiters accepted his statement. Roderick listed his sister, Ida Jackson, as next of kin. Roderick formally attested with E Battery, 491st Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery in January, 1900, and departed for South Africa shortly afterward. Discharged from military service on January 8, 1901, he subsequently received the South African medal with clasps for service at Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal in a ceremony held at Halifax on October 19, 1901. Throughout 1915, the Canadian government authorized numerous battalions for overseas service with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. One such unit was the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders), established on September 14, 1915. Roderick initially joined with the 78th Regiment (Pictou Highlanders), a local militia unit, and subsequently enlisted with the 85th at Halifax on January 14, 1916. While Roderick received a commission as Lieutenant with the 85th, his time with the unit was short-lived. On February 28, 1916, he was part of a group of 85th officers who were transferred to the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders), under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Parker Day. Shortly after its formation, the unit mobilized at Broughton, an abandoned mining town near Sydney. Roderick was appointed battalion Adjutant on May 1 and received a promotion to the rank of Captain shortly afterward. The 185th remained in England, where it trained in anticipation of deployment as part of the newly formed 5th Canadian Division. On April 24, 1917, Roderick assumed command of “D” Company. The summer’s training was not without incident. On August 13, Roderick received significant burns to his legs, hands and face when a trench smoke bomb exploded near him during a trench attack drill. He spent one month recuperating at Bramshott Military Hospital. Discharged on September 20, he returned to active duty on October 4. The significant number of casualties incurred on the battlefield during 1917 forced Canadian military officials to disband the 5th Canadian Division. As a result, the 185th was disbanded in early 1918 and its personnel reassigned to the 17th Reserve Battalion, which serviced Nova Scotian units at the front. The vast majority of the 185th’s personnel found their way into the 85th’s ranks in the ensuing months. Captain Roderick Jackson was among the officers selected for service with the 85th as a “supernumerary.” He crossed the English Channel to France on March 12, 1918 and joined the unit in the field two weeks later. At the time of his arrival, the 85th’s Commanding Officer was none other than his former platoon commander, Lieutenant Colonel James L. Ralston. Roderick assumed command of one of the battalion’s companies and experienced his first combat service with the 85th at Arleux (June) and Fampoux, France (July). Roderick was in the line with 85th during the Battle of Amiens (August 8 - 11). In fact, his actions on the battlefield earned him the Military Cross “for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty”: “He led his company to its objective in face of heavy machine gun fire, and made good the ground gained. Two days later he again led his men through a machine gun barrage, directing their fire, and although wounded carried on to the objective. He continued at duty until consolidation was completed. His work throughout earned the confidence of all under him.” OnAugust 31, Roderick was promoted to the rank of Major. He remained at duty followingAmiens despite having received a shoulder wound, and was once again in the line when the 85th participated in the Canadian Corps’ attack on the Drucourt-Quèant Line in early September. His second major battle in a month, his performance under fire earned Roderick the Bar to the Military Cross:
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