BRAVE AND GALLANT ACT.

Shannon News, 18 October 1927, Page 3

BRAVE AND GALLANT ACT.

VAIN EFFORT TO SAVE BATHER.

A woman bather and BrigadierGeneral Noble Fleming Jenkins, who went to her rescue, were drowned at St. Leonards on August 19. Miss Constance Slater, a visitor from Sheffield, entered the sea at a spot where there are no bathing cabins and got into difficulties. General Jenkins, seated on the beach with his wife and children, went to her aid and reached her, but .was himself in difficulties. A visitor and another man succeeded in bringing them both ashore. They were unconscious and artificial respiration was applied for two hours, but without success.

At the inquest the coroner, in recording a verdict of accidental death, said that he recognised the bravery shown by those who went to the assistance of Miss Slater. "Utterly regardless of the consequences to himself, an elderly and distinguished man rushed to her assistance. It was a brave and gallant act, and one which, I am sure, will not be without fruit. What I have "said of General Jenkins applies with equal force to Mr Millns, who did, an exceedingly brave thing. Colonel Lockhart-Ross acted as a gallant gentleman and soldier would have done. Other people who rushed into the sea did not even leave their names." Brigadier-Genera! Jenkins, who was (ifi years of age, was the son of the lato Mr D. J. Jenkins, sometime Conservative M.P. for Falmouth, and was educated at Rugby and Sandhurst. He was gazetted to the 3rd Battalion The Border Regiment, and served with them at home and in India. In

■MM W- I'd he;- died and Mr. Jenkins who was then a company commandr, was e!>S:.'jfil to abandon a military career of much*promise, although he rejoined the Army In 1599 and served in tho South African War. Directly the Great War broke out, Mr Jenkins was at the War Office asking- for "any sort of a job." He was given the rank of Captain and put in charge of the camp in which were the reserve drafts of his old regiment. A telegram arrived ordering him to detail an officer to take all available reserves to the front. Mr Jenkins detailed himself, and soon proved the value of his early "army training. Within a short time lie was in charge of a battalion, and he would have gone far in the promotion list had not a breakdown in health, owing to trench fever, compelled him to return to England. Colonel Jenkins was appointed « command mt of an officers' training camp in the Midlands. Pew of the officers whom he trained ever knew of the long night hours he spent in g-etting together material for his daily Ave hours of lectures. It was his lasting- pride that he never turned out a "dud" officer. When the war was ended he was Brigadier General, in command of the Gunnery School at Grantham. For his war services he was made C.M.G. and C.B.E.