Christ College Remembers … Captain David Roy Jenkins

CHRIST COLLEGE REMEMBERS … CAPTAIN DAVID ROY JENKINS. REMEMBRANCE DISPATCH NO. 23 HAS BEEN POSTED IN HOUSES TO COMMEMORATE CAPTAIN DAVID ROY JENKINS (SCHOOL HOUSE 1901-1903) WHO WAS KILLED IN A FLYING ACCIDENT ON 21ST JANUARY 1917.

David Roy Jenkins was the youngest son of Jacob Jenkins, a timber merchant from Bridgend. He joined School House in 1901 and was remembered as a popular boy with many talents. He was a promising young sportsman and also took part in the annual ‘theatricals’, successfully playing a young maiden in the 1902 production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Sorcerer”.

Roy left Christ College in July 1903 at the age of 14 and followed his older brother, Charles Fraser Jenkins, to Clifton College. He left school in 1906 and went into the family business, later setting up as a brick merchant. As well as pursuing a business career, he continued his sporting endeavours and was Captain of the Bridgend Hockey Club for two seasons. He also played for the Swansea 1st Hockey XI and he was a County player.

He joined the territorial force of the Royal Field Artillery before the First World War, rising to Lieutenant in the 2nd Welsh Brigade, Royal Field Artillery in 1911. At the outbreak of war his unit was mobilized and he trained in England before heading for France.

In 1915 he was promoted to Captain and served in France and Egypt, and then volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps. He was flying alone on January 21st 1917 over Salisbury plain when he was killed in a crash just three miles from the aerodrome.

Captain David Roy Jenkins is buried at Nolton (St Mary’s) Churchyard, Bridgend and is remembered on the War Memorial at Christ College.