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Jersey Archive has delved into the life of a war hero and Victoria Cross recipient who made First Tower his home...
‘Your Home, Your Story’ is a series of free talks at Jersey Archive that focuses on individual properties nominated by islanders wanting to know more about their home and the area they live in.
As part of the next upcoming talk at the Jersey Archive this weekend, Digital Preservation Officer Cara Ross shared part of her research on Conamur, where war hero Jack Counter lived...
There is plenty of house history to discover about Conamur, which dates to the late 19th century. However, its most exciting detail is its relation to Jack Counter.
Counter was born on 3 November 1898 in Blandford, Dorset, where he grew up with his father, Frank, a cabinet maker, his mother, Minnie, and two brothers, Percy and Alfred. During the First World War, Counter joined the 1st Battalion of the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, aged 17, as a Private.
Pictured: Counter stamps. (Jersey Heritage)
On 16 April 1918, aged just 19, his battalion was pinned down by a series of German attacks on the British front line in Boyelles, south of Arras, on the Bapaume Road with no way to obtain any information except crossing the open ground in front of the enemy.
After six of his fellow soldiers had tried and fatally failed to cross, Counter volunteered and successfully crossed under heavy fire. He returned with orders that enabled his commanding officer to launch an attack that successfully reclaimed their position. He went on to complete this mission an incredible five more times.
For his devotion to duty and gallantry, he was awarded the Victoria Cross and was officially invested by King George V on 27 June 1918. He then returned to his hometown, where along with a hero's welcome, he was awarded a gold pocket watch and a £100 war savings certificate from his former employers, International Stores.
Pictured: Jack and Ada leaving Jersey for VC Centenary Celebrations. (JEP Photo Archive)
In 1921, Counter was living in Liverpool and serving as a Corporal. It was with his regiment that he first visited Jersey where he met Ada Vauvert, daughter of Jules Vauvert, a French farmer.
They married on 27 August 1921 in Lancashire. At the time, Counter, aged 22, was still listed as working as a soldier and living at the Recruiting Office in Old Hapmathex.
He was demobilised in Liverpool and returned to Jersey where he began work as a postman in the St Ouen Post Office. He worked there for three years before he was seconded to the Post Office in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, where he and his family moved in 1924. His daughter, Pearl, was born in St Ouen in 1923.
By all accounts Counter was extremely humble. Regarding his achievements during the War and receiving the Victoria Cross, he is quoted as saying: "The ones who died before me should have had it...I was lucky."
Pictured: Jack Counter Close plaque. (JEP Photo Archive)
Newspaper articles written about the ‘Postman VC’ in 1929 centre on his reluctance to attend The Prince of Wales dinner at the House of Lords on 9 November. He said to one: “I am very shy…and I don’t like taking part in anything in the village because I am always pointed out as a VC. I would be much happier if people would say nothing about it.”
He also declined the chance to lead the Sudbury procession for Armistice Day and attended the service wearing his colours but forgoing the medal.
Counter later returned to Jersey and was reappointed to the Jersey Postal Service in December 1929. His daughter’s school admission records for First Tower School reveal that the family were living at Verondale, Millbrook.
Pictured: Jack Counter Occupation Identity Card. (Jersey Heritage)
During the Occupation, Counter, his wife and their daughter Pearl lived at Conamur with Counter still working as a postman. His daughter was a teacher.
Despite his shy nature, Counter attended many functions related to his Victoria Cross recipient status, including in 1956 when Counter acted as the representative for Jersey to the VC Centenary event, with a newspaper report officially labelling him “Jersey’s VC”.
He retired in 1959, aged 60 and passed away whilst visiting his sister in Bristol, aged 71, outliving both his wife and daughter. His wife had died earlier that year and his daughter had passed way in 1963, aged just 39.
There was a funeral held at Bournemouth Crematorium on 24 September 1970 attended by the Mayor of Blandford, representatives from the Blandford and Jersey branches of the British Legion alongside his friends and family, including members of his old Liverpool regiment. His ashes were then returned to Jersey to be placed alongside his wife and daughter in St Saviour’s Churchyard.
Pictured: Counter medals Societe Jersiaise Collection. (Jersey Heritage)
In 1971, the Jersey Post Office included a portrait of Counter on the 7½p stamp in the 50th Anniversary of the British Legion Collection. You can also find memorial plaques for him in St Andrew’s Church and a block of flats at First Tower was named Jack Counter Close in his honour.
His war medals, including his Victoria Cross, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Imperial Service Medal, 1937 Coronation Medal and the 1953 Coronation Medal, were purchased by La Société Jersiaise for about £12,000 in 1989 and are now held at Jersey Archive as part of the Société’s collection.
Six medals, including Counter’s Victoria Cross will be on display during this Saturday’s talk at the Archive.
This article only touches on some of the research into the ‘Pontac to St. Clement’s Church’ area for the ‘Your Home, Your Story’ series.
If you would like to learn more, join Jersey Archive's free talk this Saturday (15 June) at 10:00. To book a place on the talk, call 833300 or email archives@jerseyheritage.org.
You can also uncover more stories by searching Jersey Archive's online catalogue here.
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