Hero’s family forced to auction VC Apr 19 2004
Hendon & Finchley Times
It could be the bravest-ever act of military heroism.
Put yourself in the RAF boots of Sergeant Norman Jackson, a flight engineer in a Lancaster bomber detailed to attack Schweinfurt on the night of April 26, 1944. You are 20,000 feet in the air, travelling at 200 miles per hour over Germany. And you have just seen that the bomber’s wing is on fire. What do you do?
What Sgt Jackson did was pick up a fire extinguisher, crawl out of the cockpit, back down the fuselage and onto the blazing wing. He was attached to the aircraft only by the cords of his parachute, which were held by other crew members inside.
Suddenly the plane came under renewed fighter attack and banked sharply. Sgt Jackson slipped, fell through the flames and back behind the aircraft, hanging from the ropes of his parachute. The parachute then fell out but had been so damaged by the flames that it did not open properly.
Sgt Jackson plummeted towards the ground but landed on a bush, which saved his life. He sustained ankle injuries to add to the shrapnel wounds he suffered during the dogfight in the sky and spent the rest of the war in the Dalag Luft prisoner-of-war camp.
Sgt Jackson earned the Victoria Cross (VC) medal for his unbelievable courage, which could not save his bomber. He died ten years ago, aged 74. Now his VC is to be sold by auctioneer Spinks following the death of his widow and is expected to fetch more than £100,000, alongside his other medals.
The RAF Museum in Hendon, which already has 12 VCs in its collection, has been mentioned as a likely bidder for the medal, but it does not comment on potential acquisitions in case this drives up the price.
Henry Hall, director of the curatorial collection at museum in Grahame Park Way, said the medal was particularly interesting because of the story behind it.
“It’s an extraordinary story but it’s one of so many in the RAF, not in terms of VCs, but in individual achievements. Sgt Jackson didn’t succeed in achieving anything in this particular venture but nonetheless it was a bold venture,” he said.
“I don’t think I would have done it – I tried to imagine it when I first heard about it. It seems so extraordinary but clearly when the chips are down then you say, ‘I’ll do it to give my mates a chance.
“A more typical VC would be for pressing on in an attack having sustained damage that would justify turning back.”
After the war, Sgt Jackson worked for a whisky company and is said not to have talked about the war often. In October 1945, he received his VC, an achievement that prompted a glowing front page tribute from the day’s London Gazette newspaper: “It was an act of outstanding gallantry. Had he succeeded in subduing the flames, there was little or no prospect of his regaining the cockpit. By his ready willingness to face these dangers, he set an example of self-sacrifice which will ever be remembered.”
Mr Hall said the RAF Museum has hundreds of medals of all types in its collection, including one VC that had been donated to it.
Hendon & Finchley Times
Although Sgt Jackson had already completed his tour of 30 bombing operations, he agreed to fly out on a final mission with his crew on 26 April, 1944, to target German ball-bearing factories.
He later crawled to a village, close to the site of bombing raids on the town of Schweinfurt, and spent 10 months in hospital before being sent to a prisoner of war camp.
Spink’s Richard Bishop, who will preside over the auction on 30 April, said that the medal was one of the most coveted of its type ever offered for sale.
Press Association
The Scotsman
By: Observer - 1st May 2004 at 09:07
Thanks for the BBC link.
I note the BBC website say’s £235,000 for the sale.
Spink said yesterday that the medals of Norman Cyril Jackson in Lot 1 realised £200,000. (BBC price must be inclusive of VAT, see Spink terms below)
The link to Spink I originally posted no longer takes you to the description.
I have found this link to Spink which confirms the price as £200,000, but say’s that the prices are exclusive of VAT and Buyers Premium.
Quote from Spink Website
“Sales Results
Results for Sale 4004, Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria.
Generated at 9:00:18 AM on the Saturday, May 01, 2004, Prices are exclusive of Buyer’s Premium and VAT and may be subject to change. Prices shown in British Pounds
Sale Total: 500,195 British Pounds”
“Lot Description Price Result
1 The Second War Bomber Command Victoria Cross Group of Eight to Warrant Officer N.C Jackson, RAF £200,000 Sold”
Quote: Copyright Spink 2004
http://www.spink.com/asp/results.asp
Any problems go to Spink Homepage then;
Click on ‘Auctions’
click ‘Catalogue Archive’
click on ‘View’ (adjacent 30th April 2004 sale 4004)
click on medal ‘picture’ for description and history of Sgt (later W/O) Jackson
Mark
By: st170dw - 30th April 2004 at 15:03
I guess because of that error the little scales in the top corner will tip against me!
By: st170dw - 30th April 2004 at 15:01
oops
By: st170dw - 30th April 2004 at 14:34
The report of the auction is on the link below
www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3673277.stm
It looks as though the family will do well out of it.
By: Observer - 29th April 2004 at 21:15
Bit more information about the lost crew
Captain was F/O Frederick Manuel Mifflin D.F.C.
http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/certificate.aspx?casualty=2102475
Rear Gunner was F/Sgt Norman Hugh Johnson
http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/certificate.aspx?casualty=2102050
Mark
By: Observer - 29th April 2004 at 14:45
Medals of Sgt Norman C. Jackson (later Warrant Officer Norman Jackson)
Go to:
http://www.spink.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=4004+++++++1+&refno=+8040656&saletype=
as there is some other interesting information about him, the RAF and the Operation, Copyright Spink 2004.
Note: Sometimes the link does not go direct to the Spink page, if not then:
Click on ‘VIEW’ (next to the sale date and View Lots 1 thru to End) and then
click on the medal thumbnail PICTURE of Lot No 1.
The Second War Bomber Command Victoria Cross Group of Eight to Sergeant Later Warrant Officer N.C. Jackson, Royal Air Force for His Incredible Courage in Climbing Out of His Lancaster at 22,000 Feet Above Schweinfurt, While Wounded, to Put Out a Serious Fire on the Starboard Wing
a) Victoria Cross, reverse of suspension bar engraved ‘905192 Sergeant N.C. Jackson, R.A.F. No.106 Squadron’, reverse of Cross engraved ’19th October 1945′
b) 1939-45 Star
c) Air Crew Europe Star
d) Italy Star
e) Defence Medal
f) War Medal
g) Coronation, 1953
h) Jubilee, 1977, the group very fine, mounted as worn
g) the group of miniature awards worn by Warrant Officer Jackson, as above but with Atlantic bar added to the Italy Star riband (16)
Estimate £ 120,000-140,000
By: Observer - 29th April 2004 at 14:01
Sgt Norman Jackson in the London Gazette 23rd Oct 1945
Apparently, the Captain and R/Gunner were still unaccounted for in October 1945.
Go to the following for the original account in the London Gazette of 23rd October 1945. (Wait about a minute for the scanned page of the newspaper to download in pdf format.) You can save the page to your computer or print it off providing you have Adobe Reader or can get the software off the Adobe site.
Any difficulties go to:
go to Search Archive and 2nd W/War
and enter
Jackson (in the name box)
2nd W/War (in the War box)
Choose ‘V.C.’ (in medal type/award)
choose in pdf format
Gazette Edition, Issue 37324 23-October-1945
and the front page should appear with a full account.
Mark
By: Ray Jade - 29th April 2004 at 13:09
What happened the the aircraft and crew?
By: Observer - 29th April 2004 at 13:02
Chris
He was on a ‘wing and a prayer’ as the saying goes.
Its an absolutely incredible story, being dangled out of an aircraft by your parachute cords whilst in flight.
Regards
Mark
By: turbo_NZ - 27th April 2004 at 22:39
Most definitely agree with your comments too, Mark
Cheers
By: Observer - 27th April 2004 at 22:01
Chris
Yes, after reading it again, they are saying he did not achieve much.
But its still an unbelieveable account of heroism.
I suppose he was attempting to put the fire out, because if he could extinguish the fire, they would likely have all got home rather than be p.o.w.
He was lucky to survive when he fell away and his parachute failed to open fully.
However, his thought was in the right place, that is what counts and his V.C. was well deserved.
Thank you for your comments.
Mark
By: turbo_NZ - 25th April 2004 at 08:09
What a great story.
Thanks for sharing, Observer.
It almosts sounds like they’re belittling Sgt Jackson’s VC medal being earnt because he didn’t save the Bomber !!
He’s definitely a hero in my eyes !!
Cheers
Chris
By: Observer - 24th April 2004 at 21:39
Sgt Norman Jackson Photograph
Sgt Norman Jackson
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April 24, 2004 at 9:24 pm