Page 91 - Greystones Archaeological Historical Society

GREYSTONES ARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL VOLUME 8

Canon Robert Jennings

Canon Robert Jennings has supported the Greystones
Archaeological & Historical Society since its inception and over
the years has delivered many elegant and thought-provoking
presentations to the Society. The following article, which
summarises his long and interesting life, is based on material
written by Myles Buchanan and published in the Wicklow People
newspaper. Some additional material was added by Frank
Deignan.
A
t 90 years of age, Canon Robert (Bob) Jennings has
managed to fit more into his busy lifetime than most people
could even afford to dream about.

st
Bob was born on 1 September 1924. He was ordained in
Derry Cathedral in 1948 and was curate of Omagh and
Mountfield Parishes before joining the British army in 1950. In
the following year he volunteered to serve in the Korean War as
Chaplain to the Welch Regiment. Within no time he was sent off
as part of the UN mission to Democratic Korea where the UN
was defending it from communist North Korea and China. Up to
three million soldiers and civilians died in this war.

While Bob was chaplain to the Welsh Regiment he also
administered to other British and American soldiers.

He still vividly recalls some of the horrors of war, including the
harsh life in the trenches, particularly during the freezing cold
winter of 1950 when many of the men suffered from frost bite
and a number of American and Chinese soldiers froze to death:

'There were no duvets, fleeces or Alpine clothing then,
87