John Percival Jeans

Story:
John Percival Jeans was born in Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 14 May 1892 the son of John Jeans and Emily Jeans (nee Hopkins).  He lived his early life at Ponsonby Farm, Cann, (where his father was a Farmer), and received some of his education at Shaftesbury Grammar School, Shaftesbury, Dorset, until by 1911 he had moved to 7 Herberton Road, Bournemouth, Hampshire, living with his sister and working as a Bank Clerk with the Wells and Dorset Bank.  He enlisted with the Royal Naval Air Service becoming a Corporal (Service No. 6542).  He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps on 1 Jun 1917 (the Royal Air Force from 1 Apr 1918) and served in France and Flanders from 11 Sep 1915 where he sustained an injury to his foot.   He also served in India mainly as a Motor Cyclist.  (his father died during 1917.) On 8 Aug 1918 he became an Cadet Flight Officer.  He was discharged on 12 Mar 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star.  He had married Dorothy Alice Fone at Crewkerne, Somerset, on 9 Mar 1916 but this union ended in divorce on 17 Sep 1919.  He went on to remarry Dorothy May Bishopp on 3 Nov 1920 at Bournemouth, Hampshire.  The 1921 Census shows him living at 120 Stour Road, Christchurch, Hampshire, described as a Bank Clerk with Lloyds Bank Ltd. By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to 13 Chichester Gardens, Ilford, Essex, now as a Bank Manager.  He died on 14 Jan 1945 in Shanklin, Isle of Wight, Hampshire.   His brother, Victor Leopold Jeans, also served with the Royal Engineers.