JENNER Edward George

NAME                JENNER     Edward George                                                                                                              RANK                 Flight Sergeant / Wireless Operator / Air Gunner    78631                                                                                         RAF No. 6 Bomber Command Group                                                                                          SQUADRON      RAF No. 22 Operational Training Unit
                           Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield in Warwickshire
                           Squadron Markings DD LT XN OX                                                                                          Residence         Goderich - Ontario                                                                                                                      Birth                   November 24, 1919 - Fergus - County of Wellington - Ontario                                                  Died                   February 8, 1942      22 years   2 months                                                                          Cemetery           Causewayhead Cemetery - Silloth - Holme Low - Cumberland - England
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Parents:              Mr. George and Lillian Jenner - Goderich

Edward was born on November 24, 1919 and took his schooling in Goderich at Victoria Public from 1926-33 and part of Grade 10 at Goderich Collegiate Institute between 1933-36. He enjoyed baseball, hunting, fishing and swimming. The family attended St Georges Anglican Church. and before joining the Air Force he was employed for 3 years as a mechanics helper with Reg McGee who had the Chrysler dealership..

Canada                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                On October 25, 1940 he enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force in London and when he enlisted he was    5' 8" tall and weighed 149 pounds. He had a medium complexion with hazel eyes and light brown hair. He then went west on October 28th with the rank of Air Craftsman 2nd Class to No. 2 Manning Depot in Brandon - Manitoba The next posting was to No. 1 Wireless School in Montreal on December 8th. While here he was given the rank of Leading Air Craftsman.                                                                                                                              In the spring of 1941 on April 27th he was posted to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School in Fingal - Ontario. While here he received the rank of Tactical Sergeant. As the end of May arrived he was posted to No. 1 (M) Depot in Halifax and while here he transferred to the Royal Air Force.

Overseas

On June 18th he was posted to the RAF trainee Pool. He then embarked from Canada on June 19, 1941 and arrived overseas in the United Kingdom on June 30th. On the first day of July he arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre. A week later he was sent to the RAF No. 1 Signals School. His last posting was to No. 22 Operational Training Unit based at RAF Wellesbourne Mountford in Warwickshire on September 30..                    No. 22 OTU was equipped with Wellington bomber aircraft, along with Anson aircraft as navigational trainers and this unit trained crews for night bombing missions. Here pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, wireless operators and air gunners trained.
After being selected as a member of a crew, Flight Sergeant Jenner and his mates would have trained together and practiced doing landings, circuits, night flying, bombing practice on land and out over the sea and cross -
country navigational flying and air - to - air gunnery. This training was around the clock both day and night. At the end of an 8 - week course the crews had to complete a “Nickel” raid, which was the dropping of
leaflets over occupied Europe.
As the training intensified, flying accidents became very frequent, with much loss of life and aircraft. Most of the Wellingtons here were ex squadron aircraft and many were worn out and weary. The life of their engines rose from 240 hours to 320 hours which was an increase of 34%. Repeated periods of ground running and taking off at maximum boost meant very much stress on the motors and 200 hours of training was the same as 320 hours of operations for these engines. Thus the reason for so many fatal crashes.
On February 8, 1942 Flight Sergeant Jenner lost his life when Wellington T 2714 was performing a night cross country navigation training flight when it crashed. He succumbed to very serious multiple injuries. The aircraft failed to clear the summit of Burn Tod mountain in the Uldale Fells located in the north-east area of the Lake District.

In the month of June 1945 Edward's mother Lillian received the Memorial Cross. At some later date the family received the medals awarded to Edward and these were the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal + Clasp.       

Edward is honoured and remembered on the Goderich - Ontario Cenotaph and as well on the Memorial Plaque of St. George's Anglican Church. He is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque of Goderich Collegiate. He is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque of RCAF Group 6 - Bomber Command. He is also honoured and remembered on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial. 
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