Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery | Manancourt | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.126 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 3A GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales 1878 to John Jenkins and Elizabeth Price. John Ernest Jenkins married Margaret (Maggie) Hek in 1904 and had 2 children. He was for some time managing the Thomastown Brickworks prior to its final closure in 1920.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 12/South Wales Borderers |
12th (Service) Battalion (3rd Gwent) Formed at Newport in March 1915 by the Welsh National Executive Committee as a Bantam Battalion. March 1915 : attached to Welsh Bantam Brigade. Moved in July 1915 to Prees Heath. September 1915 : moved to Aldershot, where formation renamed 119th Brigade, 40th Division. Landed at Le Havre on 2 June 1916. 10 February 1918 : disbanded in France. |
| Action : The Cambrai Operations and associated actions |
20 November - 30 December 1917. As the Battle of Third Ypres closed down the opportunity presented itself for a short but rapid attack on the German positions near Cambrai. Drawing on the considerable lessons learnt at Ypres the battle plan concentrated on better ground the combined resources of infantry, artillery, tanks and air support in what was in part a blueprint for the combined operations that are now a normal part of military thinking and planning. It was at first spectacularly successful but again the German ability to reorganise and counter attack was demonstrated to such an extent that by the end of the battle virtually all gains were lost. British casualties were about 45,000.
Detail :
His wounding preceding his subsequent death is reported in the Merthyr Express "MERTHYR CAPTAIN WOUNDED - Official information reached Merthyr on Wednesday that Capt. J.E. Jenkins, South Wales Borderers, formerly of the Welsh Regiment, was dangerously wounded in the chest on November 25th during the big British advance. A brick and tile manufacturer at Thomastown, Merthyr, prior to the outbreak of war, Captain Jenkins, when hostilities broke out, immediately set to work and raised a company of 250 Merthyr men for home defence purposes. He was gazetted to the rank of captain, and commanded his company attached to the Welsh Regiment at Port Talbot for more than twelve months. Subsequently he went to Rhyl and was drafted to France with the South Wales Borderers, and latterly he had been in temporary command of the battalion. He was extremely popular with his men, and it was while leading them into action that he received his wounds. He was a son of the late Councillor and Mrs John Jenkins, Merthyr, and was educated at Llandovery College. He was an old sergeant-major of the Glamorgan Yeomanry, and took a prominent part in local military tournaments. He was well-known in sporting circles, and was a member of the Gelligaer Hunt. His wife and child reside at 29, Lancaster Villas, Merthyr."
Probate: JENKINS John Ernest of 29 Lancaster-villas Merthyr Tydfil captain H.M. Army died 25 November 1917 in France Probate London 30 January to Maggie Jenkins widow. Effects £1834 10s.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Loyal Cambrian No. 110 E.C. | South Wales |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
6th June 1912 | 5th September 1912 | 13th October 1912 |
Employed as a 34 year old Brick Manufacturer resident at Merthyr Tydfil when initiated into Loyal Cambrian Lodge No. 110. War service is recorded for 2 years from 1915 before the final comment in the 1917 column, "Killed in action."
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley