Fusilier Denis Leslie Jordon Royal Fusiliers and Civil Defence
Denis Leslie Jordon
The Man Denis Leslie Jordon was born in Islington on Saturday 15th April 1922. Son of Henry, a Company Director and Maud Ethel nee Mead, he had one older brother Kenneth Henry born in 1917.
Following his education Denis became a clerk and lived at 20 Burleigh Gardens, Southgate, Enfield.
Denis enlisted into the Territorial Army with the 2nd Battalion Queen's Westminster Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps as a Rifleman with service number 6898125 on 25th April 1939 and was called out on 27th August 1939 in preparation for World War II and embodied on 3rd September, the day war was declared on Germany, thus did not appear on the 1939 Register.
His movements are atypical for the Rifles and his papers show that after 10 months home service with the KRRC, he transferred to the Royal Artillery on 22nd February 1940 and served with them in North Africa. His documents place him with the 125th LAA Regiment. However, these were a Scottish TA regiment who were home-based until 1944, when they entered Northwest Europe. During this "home" period Denis was clearly serving in North Africa. It can be assumed he was attached to the Royal Fusiliers and performing his specialist role as a signaller/AA gunner.
He served with the RA until 23rd April 1945, when he transferred to the 8th (1st City of London) Battalion Royal Fusiliers. His last overseas service was at Baghdad and he was discharged from the RF on 28th August 1946 into the Army Reserve. His North African/Arabian service totalled just under four years, with documents and photographs placing him in Libya, Egypt and Iraq. During this time he was promoted to Lance Corporal.
Following his education Denis became a clerk and lived at 20 Burleigh Gardens, Southgate, Enfield.
Denis enlisted into the Territorial Army with the 2nd Battalion Queen's Westminster Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps as a Rifleman with service number 6898125 on 25th April 1939 and was called out on 27th August 1939 in preparation for World War II and embodied on 3rd September, the day war was declared on Germany, thus did not appear on the 1939 Register.
His movements are atypical for the Rifles and his papers show that after 10 months home service with the KRRC, he transferred to the Royal Artillery on 22nd February 1940 and served with them in North Africa. His documents place him with the 125th LAA Regiment. However, these were a Scottish TA regiment who were home-based until 1944, when they entered Northwest Europe. During this "home" period Denis was clearly serving in North Africa. It can be assumed he was attached to the Royal Fusiliers and performing his specialist role as a signaller/AA gunner.
He served with the RA until 23rd April 1945, when he transferred to the 8th (1st City of London) Battalion Royal Fusiliers. His last overseas service was at Baghdad and he was discharged from the RF on 28th August 1946 into the Army Reserve. His North African/Arabian service totalled just under four years, with documents and photographs placing him in Libya, Egypt and Iraq. During this time he was promoted to Lance Corporal.
1939-45 Star. Africa Star '8th Army'. Defence Medal. War Medal 1939-45. Efficiency Medal 'Territorial'. Civil Defence Long Service Medal.
For his war time service Denis was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Africa Star with 8th Army’ clasp, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and in Army Order 119/46 of 1946 his Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’. He was discharged on 14th July 1946 and his service described as ‘Exemplary’; his Testimonial read…
“L/Cpl Jordon has been employed in the Signal Section. He had worked hard and shown considerable initiative and enthusiasm and sense of responsibility. He is smart and has a pleasant manner and though quiet, a good power of command. He is of abstemious habits and has a cheerful disposition”.
Post-war Denis continued serving his country with the Croydon Division of the Civil Defence Corps, and on 12th June 1948 married Kathleen Gay Russell at Norwood, his brother Kenneth being the Best Man. They honeymooned in Bournemouth and had three children, Anne M born in 1949 who sadly died at birth, Sheila A 1951 and Roger Leslie 1954.
Kathleen died 11th May 2013 aged 84 in Lee on The Solent.
At the time of writing (September 2023), Denis’s passing has not been identified, but it is possible he lived well into the 2010s and as such no record yet available.
“L/Cpl Jordon has been employed in the Signal Section. He had worked hard and shown considerable initiative and enthusiasm and sense of responsibility. He is smart and has a pleasant manner and though quiet, a good power of command. He is of abstemious habits and has a cheerful disposition”.
Post-war Denis continued serving his country with the Croydon Division of the Civil Defence Corps, and on 12th June 1948 married Kathleen Gay Russell at Norwood, his brother Kenneth being the Best Man. They honeymooned in Bournemouth and had three children, Anne M born in 1949 who sadly died at birth, Sheila A 1951 and Roger Leslie 1954.
Kathleen died 11th May 2013 aged 84 in Lee on The Solent.
At the time of writing (September 2023), Denis’s passing has not been identified, but it is possible he lived well into the 2010s and as such no record yet available.
Denis Jordon in North Africa
|
Denis Jordon (centre) and family. Unknown wedding.
|
The Story The medal group awarded to Denis Leslie Jordon were acquired from E-Bay on 6th September 2023 and of interest because of the Efficiency and Civil Defence Medal combination, only the second such in this collection, but the first with the Ind Imp legend on the EM.
With the medals came photographs and various documentation, that together with Ancestry.UK and Forces War Records enabled a reasonable biography to be pieced together.
Interestingly at the time of writing, September 2023, no record of Denis’s death could be found, thus it is possible he lived to an old age dying some time in the late 2010s. Time will no doubt tell.
With the medals came photographs and various documentation, that together with Ancestry.UK and Forces War Records enabled a reasonable biography to be pieced together.
Interestingly at the time of writing, September 2023, no record of Denis’s death could be found, thus it is possible he lived to an old age dying some time in the late 2010s. Time will no doubt tell.
|
|
Denis Jordon's Efficiency Medal naming
Norwood News. 18th June 1948.
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Africa Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal "Territorial': 6898125 FUS. J.L.JORDON. R.F.
- Civil Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
Return to: The Collection
Go to Previous Page: Leslie James JOPSON
Go to next Page: Francis William JUMP
Go to Previous Page: Leslie James JOPSON
Go to next Page: Francis William JUMP
Page last updated 20 Oct 23
158
