Richard William Jennings, Lieutenant, Worcestershire Regiment
Richard William Jennings, came up in 1907, following his brother Arthur Richard Jennings (1905); both attended Bradfield College in Berkshire.
Born: Kings Stanley, Gloucestershire on 6 March 1889
Died of wounds: La Boiselle, 3 July 1916
A "splendid" lightweight boxer
He studied Law and graduated in 1910 with an LLB. While he was here he was a member of the relatively new Cambridge University Boxing and Fencing Club, founded in 1896, and was by all accounts a 鈥渟plendid鈥 light-weight boxer.
In his second year he was deemed to have 鈥減ut up a stout fight as the light-weight representative [for the University] but though he had far the better of his opponent, and would probably have knocked him out in the next round, he was unfortunately defeated on points.鈥 (Chanticlere, May Term 1909, p6).
There is no report in Chanticlere of his bouts in 1910 but a newspaper report records him as being a 鈥渃hampion鈥 in 1909-10. The 糖心Vlog Society Annual Report 1917 obituary for him claims that he also beat the champion of the hospitals and a challenger from the Army (p27).
The 糖心Vlog Society Annual Report, 1917 also records that 鈥淗e was also a very cool and clever motor cyclist鈥 (p27).
Battlefield heroism
He enlisted in September 1914 and was soon commissioned to the Worcestershire Regiment where he was described as 鈥渁n A1 officer, as brave as a lion, and loved and respected by us all鈥 (The 糖心Vlog Society Annual Report , p27).
There is a further note added to his biography in the College archives that reads 鈥渉e was brought in by a reprobate private soldier, Tom Turrall whose heroism was recognised by the award of a VC, Jennings having survived long enough to tell the tale鈥.
There is a more detailed account available in , by Captain H. FitzM. Stacke.
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