JENNISON, Alexander Glenn (1911-1943)
Alexander Glenn Jennison was born at Deniliquin on 18 February 1911, the son of Joseph Barraclough Jennison and Jessie nee Glenn, of Dunblane Park, Mathoura.
After attending Mathoura State School he was enrolled at Geelong College on 11 February 1925 as a boarder. He left the College in December 1925. He later married Sheila Jessie nee Martin in 1942.
Following the outbreak of World War II he enlisted (No. 409000) as a Flying Officer in the RAAF describing himself as a farmer at Deniliquin. After training he was posted to 10 Squadron, Coastal Command.
He was Captain of his Sunderland plane when it was attacked by a number of enemy 'planes off the coast of Portugal on 21 September 1943. Firstly he was reported missing, but eventually word came through that he and his crew had been killed in action. Flight Lietenant K C Baff wrote of his loss in Maritime is Number Ten:
'Patrol height considerations and the declared all out offensive on U-boats did not solve the problem of the roving Junkers Ju 88 aircraft over the Bay. On 21 September the crew of DV969/E, captained by Flying Officer Glenn Jennison, transmitted an incomplete combat report and then failed to return to Mount Batten. The transmission, '...437-6 Ju 88s...', faded with a high frequency note. A wide search for the crew revealed no survivors which, was unfortunate, as both RAAF Sunderland squadrons had earlier in the month spent an appreciable number of patrols on air-sea-rescue operations for other airmen lost in similar circumstances. In each case the final rescue had been effected by naval vessels directed to the scene after intervals varying from a few hours to several days, during which time the Sunderlands had maintained contact with the survivors in their dinghies. But this was not to be the case with this particular crew which, was later listed as missing believed killed. The crew was Flying Officer Glen 'Pop' Jennison Pilot/Captain; Flying Officer Neil Buckland 1st Pilot; P/O Alan Gunson 2nd Pilot; Flying Officer A I Coomes Navigator; Flight Sergeant Colin Cameron·, Sergeant Jim Daley Air Gunner ; Flight-Sergeant Don Harris Air Gunner; Sgt Syd Leech Fitter; Sergeant Jack Law Flight Engineer; Flight-Sergeant Norm Swinton; Flight-Sergeant Lawrence Waddington; Wireless Operator Air Gunner.'
Jennison has no known grave. His name is commemorated, as are those of his crewman, on the Runnymede Memorial in England. The following description comes from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
'The Runnymede Memorial overlooks the River Thames on Cooper's Hill at Englefield Green between Windsor and Egham, four miles from Windsor. This Air Forces Memorial commemorates by name over 20,000 airmen who were lost in the Second World War during operations from bases in the United Kingdom and northern and western Europe, and who have no known graves. They served in Bomber, Fighter, Coastal, Transport, Flying Training and Maintenance Commands. The memorial was designed by Sir Edward Maufe with sculpture by Vernon Hill. The engraved glass and painted ceilings were designed by John Hutton and the poem engraved on the gallery window was written by Paul H Scott.'
The Australian War Memorial (AWM) Collection has a photograph (AWM Collection UK0140) taken at Plymouth, England, on 8 May 1943, of members of the crew of a Sumderland aircraft of No. 10 Squadron RAAF at RAF Station Mount Batten which made an attack on an enemy submarine on 30 April 1943. The photograph includes Jennison.
Sources: Edited extract from 'Geelong Collegians at the Second World War' compiled by James Affleck. pp 47,48 (citing The Pegasus; Australian War Memorial; Commonwealth War Graves Commission; F/L K C Baff, Maritime is Number Ten: The Sunderland Era).