Jørgen Christian Jensen VC (1891 - 1922)

Born 15 Jan 1891 in Løgstør, Slet, Ålborg, Danmark

Ancestors

Husband of Katy (Arthur) Sweet — married 1921 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Died 31 May 1922 at age 31 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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Victoria Cross Recipients - Australia

Biography

Corporal Jørgen Jensen VC

Jørgen Jensen VC is Notable.

Jørgen Jensen VC was born in Denmark

Jørgen Christian Jensen was born on 15th January 1891 in the fishing town of Løgstør, Slet, Ålborg, Denmark. He was the second son of Jørgen Christian Jensen and Christiane Jensen. ^[1]

Jørgen Jensen VC migrated from Denmark to South Australia.

In 1908, aged 17 years, Jørgen travelled to the United Kingdom before emigrating to South Australia in March 1909. From there he moved to Morgan, on the Murray River in South Australia, working as a sailor on river steamers, and later to Port Pirie, on Spencer Gulf, working as a labourer. He was naturalised as a British subject in Adelaide on 7th September 1914.

Jørgen Jensen VC is an Anzac who served in World War One.

Jørgen Jensen VC is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Imperial Force 1915-1918
10th Infantry Battalion - Gallipoli; 50th Infantry Battalion - Europe

On 23rd March 1915, Jørgen enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), his adopted nation's overseas expeditionary force for the (First World) War. He embarked on HMAT Borda on 23rd June with reinforcements for the 10th Infantry Battalion, joining the battalion at Gallipoli on 4th August. In April 1916, back in Egypt, one half of the 10th Battalion (including Jørgen) formed the nucleus of the new 50th Infantry Battalion, part of 13th Brigade, 4th Division. On 5th June the 50th Battalion embarked for France, entrained for the Western Front, and entered the trenches on 28th June near Fleurbaix.

Jørgen Jensen VC was wounded in action at Mouquet Farm, France during The Great War.

The 50th Battalion saw its first serious action during the Battle of Mouquet Farm in mid-August 1916. Jørgen was hit in the left shoulder by a piece of shrapnel and was evacuated to Graylingwell War Hospital in Chichester, West Sussex. While in the United Kingdom, he was charged with disciplinary infractions in September, December and January; on one occasion being sentenced to 28 days field punishment for missing the troop train to return to France, and on another serving twelve days detention for being absent without leave!

Victoria Cross

Jørgen was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in the face of the enemy in 1917 at Noreuil, France; gazetted in London 8th June 1917 on page 5705 at position 1. The citation read (edited for ease of reading): ^[2]

"At Noreuil on 2nd April 1917, this man took charge of five men and attacked 40 to 50 Germans with a machine gun who were behind a barricade. One of his men shot down the German gunner. Jensen, who is a Dane, then rushed the whole post singlehanded and threw in a bomb. He still had a bomb in one hand and taking another from his pocket he drew the pin with his teeth. Threatening the enemy with the two bombs, he called on them in German to surrender and bluffed them that they were surrounded by Australians. The enemy dropped their rifles and gave in. Jensen then sent a German to tell another enemy party who were fighting our Stokes Gun to surrender and they too gave in. A different party of our men then saw these Germans for the first time and began firing on them. At considerable risk, Jensen stood up on the barricade, waved his helmet, and sent the German prisoners back to our line under an escort of lightly wounded men."

In July 1917, Jørgen was temporarily promoted to Corporal and transferred to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford, England as an instructor. After another disciplinary infringement, he returned to France, rejoining his battalion on 6th October. His rank of Corporal having been made substantive, he was temporarily promoted to Sergeant in early November. On 5th May 1918, Jørgen was on patrol near Villers-Bretonneux when he was shot in the head. Severely wounded, he was admitted to hospital in France, and on 18th May was evacuated to the Richmond Military Hospital in Surrey, England. He reverted to his substantive rank of Corporal on being evacuated. Following two weeks' leave, he was repatriated to Australia in August 1918, along with nine other Victoria Cross recipients, to take part in a recruiting campaign. He disembarked in Adelaide on 11th October and, with the Armistice signed just weeks later, was discharged from the AIF on 2nd December. Assessed to be partially disabled, Jørgen was awarded a small pension.

Jørgen Jensen VC was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

For his war service, he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

After his discharge, he obtained work as a barman in Truro, then worked for a marine store in Adelaide.

Jørgen married divorcée, Katy Herman née Arthur on 13th July 1921 at the Registry Office, Adelaide, South Australia. ^[3] He thereby became step-father to Katy's two daughters, Lois (10 years) and Elsa (9 years). They made their home at 105 Sturt Street, Adelaide, however did not have children together.

The following 28th May, Jørgen was admitted to the Adelaide Hospital, and died of congestion of the lungs three days later, aged just 31 years. His casket was carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage to the West Terrace Cemetery, ^[4] followed by hundreds of former members of the 50th Battalion. ^[5] The officiating minister at the service said that Jørgen was, "modest always ... ever ready to enlarge on the bravery of others, without touching on his own accomplishments".

The Journal published the following obituary on Thursday, 1st June: ^[6]

"The death occurred at the Adelaide Hospital on Wednesday evening of Cpl Jorgen or Christian Jensen, V.C., after a brief illness. Tbe deceased, who was 31 years of age, was bom at Logster, Denmark, and was naturalised a British subject in Melbourne on September 17, 1914. He enlisted at Adelaide on August 23, 1919, with a reinforcement unit of the 10th Battalion,' and was subsequently transferred to the 50th Battalion ia France, to where ho was wounded in August, 1916. It was while serving with that unit (that he won the Victoria Cross ... The late Cpl. Jensen was described as a quiet Danish sailor. Before enlisting he was employed on boats on the River Murray."

On the same day the Advertiser published: ^[7]

"Much regret will be occasioned by the announcement of the sudden death of Corporal Jorgen Christian Jensen V.C., which occurred in Adelaide on Wednesday. Corporal Jensen, who was 31 years of age, was a distinguished member of the A.I.F. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery and initiative in France, when, with five comrades ... His conduct throughout was marked by extraordinary bravery and determination. The deceased, who resided in Sturt street, has left a widow."

The Register ^[8] and the Chronicle ^[9] also published death and funeral notices.

Jørgen's medal set, including his Victoria Cross, was donated by a family member to the Australian War Memorial in 1987 at a ceremony attended by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and is displayed in the Hall of Valour of the Memorial. ^[10] In 2006, a memorial to Jørgen Jensen was unveiled in Løgstør by the Australian ambassador to Denmark, and a book about him was published in Denmark in the same year. ^[10]

Clearly the adventurer, maybe even an 'Aussie larrikin', Jørgen Jensen was never destined to attain old age.

Thank you for your service, Jørgen Jensen VC

Sources

1. ↑ Scanned copy of church book at Danish National Archive: Aalborg Amt, Løgstør Parish Enesteministerialbog 1890 - 1891 [p. 8 # 1</]
2. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Jørgen Christian Jensen; accessed 13 Apr 2019
3. ↑ South Australia Marriage Index #288/86 1921
4. ↑ [Find A Grave: Memorial #7714348 Find a Grave, memorial page for Joergen Christian Jensen (15 Jan 1891–31 May 1922), Find a Grave Memorial ID, citing West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, Adelaide City, South Australia, Australia ; database and images accessed 31 May 2022]
5. ↑ South Australia Death Index #454/283 1922
6. ↑ VICTORIA CROSS WINNER. from The Journal (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1923) of Thursday 1 June 1922, Page 3. first accessed on TROVE on the 31st of May, 2022 at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/200917227?
7. ↑ DEATH OF A HERO. from The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) of Thursday 1 June 1922, Page 7. first accessed on TROVE on the 31st of May, 2022
8. ↑ Family Notices from The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) of Thursday 1 June 1922, Page 6. first accessed on TROVE on the 31st of May, 2022
9. ↑ PERSONAL. from the Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954) of Saturday 10 June 1922, Page 36. first accessed on TROVE on the 31st of May, 2022
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} "Dane's VC to go to Memorial". The Canberra Times. 61 (18, 750). Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 3 Feb 1987. p. 3; accessed 13 Apr 2019

See also

• Blanch, Craig and Pegram, Aaron. For Valour: Australians Awarded the Victoria Cross. New South Publishing, Sydney NSW, 2018. ISBN 978 17422 35424.
• Wikipedia profile: Jørgen Jensen (soldier); accessed 13 Apr 2019.
• Zwillenberg, H J. 'Jensen, Joergen Christian (1891–1922)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1983; accessed online 13 Apr 2019.
• Census 1901: Løgstør