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Medals awarded to the officer who helped lead the London Fire Brigade through the Blitz are set to be auctioned this month, with his family donating the proceeds to Fire Fighters Charity which he helped create.
The Second World War C.B.E. group of ten awarded to Major Frank Whitford ‘Gentleman’ Jackson will be sold at Noonans Mayfair on 18 March 2026. They are expected to fetch £20,000–£30,000 and are being offered by Jackson’s grandchildren, Frank W Goulding and Professor Celia W Goulding.
Their grandfather was involved in setting up what was then the Fire Service National Benevolent Fund in 1940, after making an initial £24 donation to support firefighters and their families during wartime. The charity later became Fire Fighters Charity, which today provides rehabilitation, mental health support and practical help for people across the UK fire services.
Ellie Rocks, Director of Fundraising at Fire Fighters Charity, said the family’s decision would have a real impact. “We are deeply honoured that Major Frank Jackson’s family have chosen to support Fire Fighters Charity through the sale of his medals.
“This remarkable gesture ensures that Frank’s lifelong commitment to the fire services community lives on, helping its members manage the impact of service, recover from injury or illness, and find strength through life’s challenges.
“We are incredibly grateful to his grandchildren for this meaningful tribute, which will make a real difference to our fire family across the UK.”
Jackson served as Deputy Chief of the London Fire Brigade throughout the Blitz, helping to co-ordinate crews dealing with thousands of fires across the capital while bombing raids were still under way. His work included the response to the 29 December 1940 raid, when firefighters were ordered to protect St Paul’s Cathedral during one of the most destructive nights of the campaign.
Winston Churchill said at the height of the Blitz, when announcing the award of Jackson’s C.B.E. for services during the London Blitz in 1941: “Major Jackson’s is the biggest job of its kind in the world. His is the brain which controls the use of all London’s fire-fighting resources, from the big stations down to the smallest of its 3,000 appliances. He is the leader of an Army of 33,000 gallant men and women.”
Retiring in 1951, Jackson died aged 68 on 16 June 1955 and was interred in ‘Fireman’s Corner’ in Highgate Cemetery, the last firefighter to be laid to rest there.
Frank W Goulding, Jackson’s grandson, said: “My sister and I are delighted to put forward for auction our grandfather’s medals and silver tray. It seems fitting that the charity he helped set up just prior to the Blitz should benefit from their sale.”
Other items in the auction include miniature dress medals and awards linked to Jackson’s brother and son.
Find out more about the work of Fire Fighters Charity here: Care and support for those who serve: Fire Fighters Charity’s next chapter
