John (Jack) Harold Jenks

 

Situated inside the current central police station is a stained-glass window the memorial of those police officers that were killed during the Second World War.

John (Jack) Harold Jenks, PC161,  was the first officer to be killed on the 1^st of September 1940. John was to lose his life on the corner of Union Street and Park Street, whilst he was directing soldiers to a shelter during an air raid.

On the 1^st of September 1940, 251 High Explosive and over 1,000 Incendiaries bombs were dropped over Swansea.  to date, this largest raid on Swansea.  extensive damage was caused.  The first bombs that were dropped on Swansea, were 6 High Explosive bombs, on the 27^th of June of that year.  The first death caused by the bombing was on the 10^th of July when 12 were killed and a further 26 people were injured.

John was born in 1916, at Maidstone, Kent.  At the time of the 1921 Census, John was aged 5 and lived at 35 Graig Terrace.

1921 Census

His father, Bertie William Arthur, 34, who was born in East Ham, Essex is employed as a Bookbinder Foreman.  The census records his place of work as 22 Wind Street.  Whilst his mother, Winifred Florence is 32 years old, she was born in Maidstone. John’s younger sister, Mollie is 4 and is also born in Maidstone.  Also present is Winifred’s brother, John Harold Bird, 34, who is employed as a Labourer by Topham Jones & Railton Public Contractor.

1939 Register

Herald of Wales

By the time of the 1939 Register,  Bertie, who is still a Bookbinder, and his wife, Winifred, were living at 26 Graig Terrace, along with their daughter, Mollie Jones, who is a School Teacher Certificated who was employed at Terrace Road school and married David Jones, also a teacher.  The wedding photo was published in the Herald of Wales

 South Wales Daily Post

Bertie died in 1942 at Abergavenny; his death was reported in the South Wales Daily Post in March 1942. Winifred died in 1965 in Swansea.

1939 Register

Meanwhile, John, at the time of the 1939 Register, is a Patient at the Royal National Hospital, St. Lawrence, Ventnor, Isle of Wight.  His occupation is recorded as Police Constable of Swansea Borough Police.

South Wales Daily Post

John married a month before he was killed, in August 1940 to Veronica O’Donovan, at Port Talbot.  His marriage was reported in the South Wales Daily Post

John’s funeral is at St. Peters, Cockett.