John Robert Jackson – Royal Engineers, 16 Bomb Disposal Company

Corporal John Robert Jackson – Royal Engineers, 16 Bomb Disposal Company

Corporal John Robert Jackson served with the Royal Engineers, one of the most technically skilled and hazardous branches of the British Army during the Second World War. Very little survives regarding his early life, and the surviving records begin with his wartime service.

At the time of his death, John was serving with the 16 Bomb Disposal Company, 97 Bomb Disposal Section, units formed during the height of the Blitz when thousands of unexploded German bombs were falling across Britain. Bomb Disposal Companies were created rapidly in 1940–41 to meet this crisis, staffed by Royal Engineers personnel trained in mine clearance, demolitions, and improvised explosive device handling. Their work involved locating unexploded bombs after air raids, assessing their type and fuze, excavating ordnance buried deep in rubble or soil, and either defusing or destroying them on site. The dangers were extreme: many bombs contained delayed‑action fuzes or anti‑handling devices designed specifically to kill bomb‑disposal personnel, and casualties within these units were tragically frequent.

The 97 Bomb Disposal Section, to which John belonged, was one of the sub‑units operating under 16 Company. Sections typically consisted of a small team led by an officer, supported by NCOs such as Corporals and trained Sappers. Surviving records — including the National Archives war diary for 96/97 Bomb Disposal Section — confirm that the Section was active during 1940–41, working under intense pressure to clear unexploded ordnance from civilian areas, industrial sites, and vital infrastructure. Their work was essential to keeping cities functioning during the Blitz, and required exceptional nerve, precision, and endurance.

John Robert Jackson
St. Peter's Church, Cockett
credit - findagrave

Death from Natural Causes

Corporal Jackson died of natural causes on 13 August 1941, while still serving within this demanding and dangerous formation. Although his death was not the result of enemy action, it occurred during a period of relentless operational strain for Bomb Disposal personnel, whose duties were among the most hazardous undertaken by the Royal Engineers.

Burial at St Peter’s

His body was brought home to Swansea and buried at St Peter’s, where he is remembered among the parish’s Second World War dead.