Henry Jackson (Royal Navy officer)

Infobox Military Person
name= Sir Henry Jackson
lived= 21 January 1855 – 14 December 1929
placeofbirth= Barnsley, Yorkshire
placeofdeath= Hayling Island, Hampshire


caption= Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Jackson
nickname=
allegiance= flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom
serviceyears=
rank= Admiral of the Fleet
branch=
branch
commands= First Sea Lord
unit=
battles= World War I
awards= GCB, KCVO
laterwork=
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Bradwardine Jackson GCB, KCVO (21 January 1855 - 14 December 1929) was British First Sea Lord during much of the First World War.

Early life

Henry Jackson entered the navy in 1868 and gained an early reputation as a pioneer of ship-to-ship radio technology whilst in command of the Torpedo School Training Ship HMS "Defiance" at Wearde Quay, Saltash. In 1896 he became the first person to achieve ship-to-ship radio communications. [Captain Henry Jackson of HMS Defiance, John Hooper, John Hooper 2007, ISBN 978-0-9557346-0-1] He worked with Marconi and earned himself appointment as a Fellow to the Royal Society in 1901. He was promoted through the ranks to Vice Admiral. From 1905-1908 Jackson served as Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy. After that he was promoted to full Admiral and served as head of the Naval War College at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich from 1911 to 1913 and afterwards on the Admiralty War Staff. The arrival of the First World War in August 1914 enabled Jackson to work on the co-ordination of British attacks on Germany's colonial possessions.

First Sea Lord

He was selected as the surprise successor to Admiral Fisher upon the latter's spectacular resignation in May 1915. Despite his cordial working relationship with First Lord of the Admiralty (and former Prime Minister) Arthur Balfour, Jackson was sometimes seen to be a weak First Sea Lord, overly concerning himself with administrative matters and ineffectually attempting to extend the Dover Barrage. Jackson did however oppose Winston Churchill's original Dardanelles plans, believing a naval expedition without army support on land to be unfeasible. With British naval success rather low in 1916 arguments grew for Jackson's replacement as First Sea Lord. Consequently Sir John Jellicoe was appointed to replace Jackson in November 1916.

Later life

Jackson saw out the rest of the war as King George V's aide-de-camp and as president of the Royal Naval College at Greenwich. In this period, he was awarded the Japanese Grand Cordon, Order of the Rising, which was duly published in the London Gazette.Honor conferred 1917 -- LondonGazette|issue=30363|supp=yes|startpage=11322|date=30 October 1917|accessdate=2008-02-01] In 1919 Jackson was appointed Admiral of the Fleet; he retired five years later and died in 1929.

References

* Heathcote, T. A. (2002). "The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 - 1995". Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0 85052 835 6
* Murfett, Malcolm H.(1995). "The First Sea Lords from Fisher to Mountbatten". Westport. ISBN 0-275-94231-7