George was one of the three children of George (a manager to a metal merchant) and Alice Jenkins of Clapham, Surrey.

He married Marjorie Phyllis Watson on 5th January 1917. They had a very short honeymoon; just before midnight on the 8th he was in Dover. He was stationed there for basic training until he was sent to France around 12th March.

During his training, and whilst in France, he wrote many letters home.

9th April 1917 '…I am not in the firing line yet but in the rest huts, and we are crowded in like sardines, it’s worse than the tent at the base. We had a march to here on Good Friday night, and if I come home safe & sound I shall never forget it as long as I live…The mud here is worse than awful, and also the “livestock”, Everyone gets them here it can’t be helped…'

George and his comrades were out at night digging trenches between the lines when they were spotted by the Germans. A friend wrote:

'…it was only 3.30 in the morning and day-break was near; the shells lit up the field, choked us with fumes etc., but George was following me when eight of us all fell together, only two of us being wounded, and I shouted to George, but had no reply. I crawled as near as possible to see him, but failed…I saw him lying down with his rifle still in his hand...'

Private George Leonard Jenkins, 31187, 13th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment died on 24th April 1917, aged 26, in the area of Gouzeaucourt Wood.