ROMANTIC LIFE ENDS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 28 February 1929, Page 7

ROMANTIC LIFE ENDS.

DEATH OF DR. E. JENNINGS,

SERVICE IN FOREIGN WARS

Varied and eventful experiences filled tne life u Dr. Edward Jennings, whose death occuiTed in Christcinuch last week. He was born in London on March 18, 1853, and his education was partly in England and partly in France. In the latter country ne took a position as pupil in an architect’s office in Boulogne, and he assisted in the making of a map of that city for the use of the French Army during the Franoo-Priissian War of 1870,

three years after the war Dr. ‘Jennings visited Australia, spending: some time on the goldfields. He next joined the staff of St. George’s Hospital, London, where lie was captain of the Rugby fifteen". .He was also, captain of the London United Hospitals fifteen and was selected to represent England but did not take the field.

In 1577 he joined the Red Cross mission proceeding to Turkety, then at war with Russia, and he saw service at Plevna, where the Turks made a wonderful stand. He returned to England in 1878. In June of that year he passed the M.R.C.S. examination, and later went to South Africa., where the Zulu War was in progress, arriving just after the battle of Isandhlwana, coupled with Rorkc’s Drift in memory ns one- of the most gallant exploits of the British Army. Between 18S0 and 1888 Dr. Jennings travelled many times to New Zealand, visiting also Canada, the West Indies, Panama, Egypt, China and Japan. Jn 1888 he decided to settle in New Zealand and arrived on November 23. of that year. He had remained in New Zealand practically ever since, most of his time being spent in Christchurch, where in addition to a large practice he undertook many public activities*. He was president of the _ Canterbury branch of the British Medical Association and twice president of the New Zealand Medical Association. In 1916 Dr. Jennings enlisted in the New Zealand Medical Corps and as llieut.-colonel was president of a* medical board until the* influenza epidemic, when,he proceeded to Fiji in charge of a medical mission. For his work there he received the thanks of the Governor of Fiji: and also of the Colonial Secretary in London. During Dr. Jennings’ travels throughout the world in the eighties he had many interesting experiences and met and travelled with various well-known- and distinguished men. fn Turkey he shared a tent with Lord Kitchener, then a young Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, just returned from Palestine. Aftei the Great War Dr. Jennings practised for some years in the' Amuri County, North Canterbury, and retired 'some three or four years ago, since when he had lived in Christchurch. . Dr. Jennings is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. Major W. I. K. Jennings. D. 5.0., staff officer at general headquarters, Wellington, is his son.