Trevor King Jenkins was born 22 June 1896 in Oswestry and baptised on August 1896 at St. Oswald’s. At that time the family were living at Spring Bank, Mount Road, Oswestry. His parents were George Morse Jenkins (1863-1923, Kington, Herefordshire) and Elizabeth Ann Williams (1865, Clun, Shropshire). They were married in 1892 at Knighton.

On the 1901 census Trevor is recorded as a visitor with the family of Joseph Wright Bishop (Manager of Brick and Tile Works) at Pentre Cottage, Pentre, Chirk. Trevor’s parents and siblings were at 17 Salop Road, Oswestry. In 1911 he is with his parents and siblings Daisy (b. 1894), Henry (b. 1895) and George (b. 1901) living at Westminster House, Gobowen. All four children were born in Oswestry. His father was Secretary and Manager of Narrow Gauge Railway Company. Trevor was educated at Oswestry Grammar School. After leaving school he was employed by the Capital and Counties Bank, and went to work in their branch at Bury St Edmunds. He enlisted in 11 Bn Suffolk Regiment – the local regiment which went over to France in January 1916.

Trevor was killed in action sometime between 9 – 19 April 1918 during Operation Georgette, Kaiser Offensive. The 11 Bn Suffolks were involved in defensive action at Erquinghem. The battalion’s casualties were severe with 500 men killed, wounded or missing. Trevor was one of them; his body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial. He is also commemorated on the war memorials at St Oswald’s Church, Gobowen and Whittington as well as Lloyd’s Bank Memorial and on Oswestry School Memorial Window.

Trevor’s brother George Reginald Jenkins also enlisted, on 21 June 1918 at Warwick – 2 months after his brother had been killed and 5 months before the end of the war. He joined the Royal Dorset’s regiment (number 43108) his enlistment papers give his occupation as Student.

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