Canada. A Photo Album Of "Archie" Nathaniel Jenks, Royal Flying Corps "Ace" Observer

This photo album documents Jenks' experiences in Canada, England, France and Belgium, many of which feature Jenks himself. It is entitled "DAYS AT WAR" on the inside front cover and begins with leaving from the Canadian Pacific Railway docks in Montreal aboard the S.S. Megantic, with people seeing them off. In shows the early days with No. 3 McGill Hospital in England in 1915, with barracks life, involving soldiers and officers, including lining up for food, along with various attractions in Kent and Shorncliffe. There are also pictures taken during visits to Canterbury and London. Once overseas with No. 3 McGill Hospital at Camiers in 1915, the photos show hospital beds, operating rooms, wards, morgues, sisters "double" tents, medical implements, patients, nursing sisters (one of which is identified as "The Queen of Sheba"), with "sisters in the crimson poppy fields at northern France", along with ambulances, a sterilizer, an incinerator, emporiums, convalescent camps, many signs (including No. 3 Canadian General Hospital; McGill YMCA Field Barracks), cemeteries (including an Indian Cemetery at Boulogne, with one of the grave markers inscribed "Cooly Bearer GANGA DIN"; at Etaples with a notation - "There is some corner in a foreign field that is forever England").

There is also a pasted in typewritten copy of "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae. Also highlighted are scenery, fields and farms, ocean side scenes, along with the cityscapes of Boulogne and Camiers, taken during various seasons. There are photos taken in the field, involving trenches, dugouts (one of which has a signaller at his post), barbed wire, the soldiers in winter gear, one of the taglines noting "From Ypres to the Somme with the 13th Canadian Battalion, Royal Highlanders of Canada, Watten, near St. Omer, August 1916". Upon returning to England, he was posted to the 17th Canadian Reserve Battalion at East Sandling, Kent, the photos showing gallows for bayonet training and practice trenches in the hills of Kent. His officer training at the Military School at Crowborough, Sussex features the parade grounds, physical training and drilling. Upon joining the Royal Flying Corps, he documented his time at No. 2 School of Aerial Gunnery at Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland in March and April of 1917, along with visits to the town of Falmouth, in addition to taking photos at the School of Military Aeronautics in Reading, England, which included a Vickers "Gun Boat", target "sausage", planes and their formations. Jenks joined No. 20 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps in France, the photos showing flying gear, sheds, two soldiers sharing notes "before going on a job", other comrades, aerodromes, a sign inscribed "Pilots and Observers Empty Your Pockets" beside a guard house, along with in-flight combat with German aircraft and a captured Albatros aircraft with Allied markings, used for instructional purposes in July 1917, in addition to local farms and fields.

There is also a note signed by Scotsman 9553 Private George Wilson of the 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, the first recipient of the Victoria Cross during the war, for actions on September 14, 1914 during the First Battle of the Aisne, at the age of 28, his citation stating: "For most conspicuous gallantry on the 14th of September near Verneuil, in attacking a hostile Machine Gun, accompanied by only one man. When the latter was killed, he went on alone, shot the Officer and six Men working the Gun, which he captured." Jenks had had Christmas dinner with him at Camiers in 1915 and Wilson signed the note. There is also a newspaper obituary for Wilson adjacent to the note, along with a picture with Wilson. The album contains 50 black pages, most with photos only on the one side, containing 334 black and white photographs, in various sizes, with headings and subtitles, with each of the photos having a caption below, in white China marker, some of the photos peeling away from the pages and exposing handwritten notes in ink on their reverses. It is more than likely that all the other photos that remain pasted in place have notes on their reverses as well. The last photo in the album measures 243 mm (w) x 195 (h) and shows a group of officers in seven rows sitting on the steps at No. Gunnery School, with the caption on the reverse inscribed "Some Officers of the Royal Flying Corps, Turnberry, Scotland, March 1917". The album has stiff cloth-covered fabric cover and is bound together with a brown shoelace and a black cord along the left edge, the album measuring 330 mm (w) x 252 mm (h) x 25 mm (d), with one soiling mark on the front cover and one photo having been lost to time. The photos have not faded over time and remain crisp and vibrant. Near extremely fine.

Footnote: Archibald "Archie" Nathaniel Jenks was born on October 14, 1889 in Coaticook, Stanstead County, Quebec, the son of Leslie Hall Jenks (1849-1910) and Nancy Wesson Jenks (nee Cushing, 1851-1921), his parents having married on October 30, 1879 in Coaticook. The Jenks family of Coaticook, can trace their origins as far back as the middle of the sixteenth century. Joseph Jenks Sr. was born in England in 1602, and immigrated to America, as an iron worker. He founded the first American iron works at Saugus, Massachusetts which made domestic utensils such as pots, kettles and skillets, as well as tools such as axes, saw blades and scythes. His son, Joseph Jr. continued in his father's footsteps, when in 1671, he commenced the building of a forge on the Blackstone River. Constructed near Pawtucket Falls this settlement was eventually to become the town of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, a center for the manufacturing of farm tools and house wares, which were vital to the survival of the colony. 

The Canadian branch of the Jenks family stemmed from Nathaniel M. Jenks who was born in 1818 in Burke, Vermont. He pursued his education at Lyndon Academy and continued at the Vermont Medical College of Woodstock, Vermont where he received his diploma as a medical doctor, before immigrating to Canada. Archie Jenks was 18 years old when he was in attendance at the Grand Naval and Military Review held on the Plains of Abraham on Friday, July 24, 1908, attended by the Prince of Wales (later King George V) at Quebec City, Quebec celebrating the city's Tercentenary (1608-1908), acknowledged as Canada's First National Military Pageant. Three years later, he married Elizabeth McKim (1892-1980) in 1911 in Montreal, Quebec. Jenks was enrolled as a Dental Student, studying dentistry at McGill University in Montreal from 1912 to 1915, when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (373) with the Canadian Army Medical Corps, on February 18, 1915, in Montreal, Quebec, officially enlisting with No. 3 Canadian (McGill) General Hospital at the Orderly Room on March 8th, at the age of 25, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Nancy Wesson Jenks, stating that he was with an Active Militia, the 26th "Stanstead" Dragoons, that he was not married, that his religion was Baptist and that his trade was that of Dental Student at McGill University.

He arrived in England aboard the S.S. Megantic on May 15, 1915 and soon embarked for service in the French theatre, arriving in France on June 19th. Three weeks previous to Jenks' departure for France, Major John McCrae, who had been Medical Officer with the 1st Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, was ordered away from the artillery on June 1, 1915, to set up No. 3 Canadian General Hospital at Dannes-Camiers, near Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France. McCrae was famous for having treated wounded during the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915, from a hastily dug, eight foot by eight foot bunker dug in the back of the dyke along the Yser Canal about two miles north of Ypres. McCrae's friend and former militia pal, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed in the battle, and his burial inspired the poem, "In Flanders Fields", which was written on May 3, 1915 and first published in the magazine Punch. Bombardier Cyril C.L. Allinson reported that McCrae "most unmilitarily told [me] what he thought of being transferred to the medicals and being pulled away from his beloved guns. His last words to me were: 'Allinson, all the goddamn doctors in the world will not win this bloody war: what we need is more and more fighting men.'" Over Christmas dinner at Camiers on 1915, Private Jenks met Scotsman 9553 Private George Wilson of the 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, the first recipient of the Victoria Cross during the war, for actions on September 14, 1914 during the First Battle of the Aisne, at the age of 28. Wilson signed a note for Jenks and it is included in the photo album. Jenks had had Christmas dinner with him at Camiers in 1915 and Wilson signing the note "Pte G Wilson V.C. / 2nd Lt L.I. / Aisne France / 14 Sept 1914", with Jenks adding "1st V.C. of the War. Had Xmas dinner with us at Camiers, France." at the bottom of the note. 

Private Jenks was attached to the 13th Infantry Battalion "Royal Highlanders of Canada" for one month's training on June 25, 1916 at Boulogne, with the actual tour lasting seventy-four days. He worked as a medical orderly and spent some time in the trenches. Jenks ceased to be attached to the 13th Infantry Battalion on September 7th and returned to base, then returned to England, where he was struck off strength on transfer to the Training Depot at Shorncliffe and taken on strength at Sandling on the 9th. In the latter part of the year, he was posted as a Cadet to the Military School at Crowborough, Sussex for an Officers Course on November 29, 1916, which would last ten weeks, until February 5, 1917. Two days before leaving the school, he was named a Temporary Lieutenant on February 3rd. One week later, he was transferred to the 20th Reserve Battalion at Shoreham on February 10th, in order to proceed overseas as a reinforcement officer. In the rank of Temporary Lieutenant, he was posted to the 17th Reserve Battalion on March 8th, then posted to 1st Quebec Regimental Depot on March 15th, as his request to join the Royal Flying Corps had come through. He did his aviation training at the School of Military Aeronautics in Reading, England and at No. 2 School of Aerial Gunnery at Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland in March and April of 1917. Jenks returned to the French theatre, arriving in France for duty with the Royal Flying Corps on May 15, 1917. He was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps on May 16th and joined No. 20 Squadron on June 8th. He had received his training as a Navigator, after which he was promoted to Flying Officer (Observer) on June 15th.

Lieutenant Archibald Nathaniel Jenks, Canadian Infantry was appointed to the Royal Flying Corps on June 15, 1917, with seniority from May 16, 1917, the announcement appearing in the Fifth Supplement to the London Gazette 30166 of Tuesday, July 3, 1917, on July 5, 1917, page 6678. Temporary Lieutenant Archibald Nathaniel Jenks was to be seconded, for duty with the Royal Flying Corps, effective May 16, 1917, the announcement appearing in the Second Supplement to the London Gazette 30293 of Tuesday, September 18, 1917, on Wednesday, September 19, 1917, page 9725. Lieutenant Jenks was with 20 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps serving as an Observer and credited with seven victories aboard FE2d aircraft, achieving the status of "Ace". He was aboard A6469 for his first victory, piloted by Captain Harold Satchell (who would be his pilot on five of the seven victories), on May 26, 1917 at 10:30, downing an Albatros D.III (DES = Destroyed) at Comines. His second victory would come aboard A6431, piloted by Satchell, on June 29th at 16:10, downing an Albatros D.V (OOC = Out of Control) at Becelaère. He was aboard A6431 for his third victory, piloted by Satchell, on July 2nd at 12:45, destroying an Albatros D.V (DESF = Destroyed/Flames) at Comines-Houthem. His fourth victory came aboard A6516, piloted by Captain Frank Stevens, on July 6th at 18:30, downing an Albatros D.V (OOC) at Comines. Captain Harold Satchell would return as his pilot for victory number five, aboard A6512, on July 22nd at 19:00, defeating an Albatros D.V (OOC) at Menin-Wervicq. Aboard A3 with Satchell, on July 28th at 18:30, the pair brought down Albatros D.V (OOC) northeast of Tourcoing, for Jenks' sixth victory. Two months would elapse before Jenks would be credited for his seventh and final victory, aboard B1892, piloted by 2nd Lieutenant William Durrand, on September 21, 1917 at 11:00, downing an Albatros D.V (OOC) at Becelaère.

Jenks was found to be temporarily unfit for active service in the latter part of 1917, following an injury he sustained when his airplane was shot down by German forces. He returned to Canada aboard the S.S. Grampian on December 1, 1917, assuming the position of Aviation Instructor while in Canada. The Royal Flying Corps merged with the Royal Naval Air Service, to form the Royal Air Force on April 1, 1918. Jenks was named as a Temporary Lieutenant with the Administrative Branch of the Royal Air Force on December 13, 1918 and ceased to be seconded to the Royal Air Force on March 17, 1919. Lieutenant Archibald "Archie" Nathaniel Jenks was discharged upon demobilization on April 1, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England, France and Belgium with the Canadian Army Medical Corps, No. 3 Canadian General Hospital, the 17th Reserve Battalion, the 20th Reserve Battalion, the 1st Quebec Regimental Depot and the Royal Flying Corps (Royal Air Force). For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. After the war, Jenks returned to McGill University, where he completed his Dentistry training, graduating with the degree of D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) in 1920, and would go on to have a dentistry practice in Montreal. He is also listed in the McGill University Honour Roll, on page 153. He and his wife, Elizabeth, had one child, Anson Nathaniel Jenks (born 1929), the boy passing away at the age of 2 on December 6, 1931. Unfortunately, after the tragic death of his only child, Jenks became despondent over the next six and a half years. He shot his wife, before taking his own life on July 29, 1938, his wife surviving the ordeal. Both Archie Jenks and Anson Jenks are documented as buried in the family plot in Mount Forest Cemetery in Coaticook. There is a reference on findagrave.com that both were laid to rest in Cimetière Mont-Royal in Outremont, Montreal Region, Quebec, however, the two might possibly have been re-interred in Coaticook. Jenks' Diary, with entries dated 1907 to 1911, along with various correspondence which includes details of his First World War military career, dated from 1912 to 1932, are housed at the Eastern Townships Resource Centre at Bishop's University in Sherbrooke, Quebec.