Surgeon Vice-Admiral Ian Jenkins |
Surgeon Vice-Admiral Jenkins (left) leading the 2008 Garter procession
It was with huge sadness and regret that the Club learned of the sudden death of one of our honorary members - Surgeon Vice-Admiral Ian Jenkins - three days after he last visited and spoke to the Club. Vice Admiral Surgeon Ian Jenkins was a member of Windsor & Eton Rotary Club since his arrival back in February 2008. Ian was the speaker at his club meeting only the Monday before his sudden tragic death. The Rotary Club members of Windsor & Eton are in total shock at present after Ian's heart attack on Thursday last. Ian's arrival one year & two weeks ago as he reminded us in his talk was made much easier by the special welcome he especially received from Windsor & Eton Rotary Club. In this short time Ian attended a large number of Rotary events & assisted us with a number of community & fundraising functions eg Rotary Art Exhibition & Launch of The Royal Windsor MG Heritage Festival which takes place on Saturday April 25th. His kind offers to help his club in any way he could even though he had large commitments was appreciated so much by all our members. He was a very genuine person and very natural with everyone. You felt very much that he was your friend & supporter giving you his time to listen to you fully like any good doctor should. He will be missed greatly. Our Love & Prayers go to Liz his wife & family at this very sad time. Thanks David Shaw PR Officer - 07740 797 281 Surgeon Vice-Admiral Ian Jenkins, who died aged 64, was Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle. The Governor lives in the Round Tower, and represents the castle in the town of Windsor. As the Queen's "right-hand man" there he greets visiting heads of state, and in June he leads the annual Garter procession down the hill to St George's Chapel – Jenkins fulfilled this role last year, when Prince William was installed as a member of the Order. Jenkins's predecessor in the post was Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Johns, and it was considered that he would be a very hard act to follow. But Jenkins – who took over in February 2008 – quickly mastered his brief and became much respected both within and without the castle. A quieter personality than Johns, he was a careful listener who took heed of advice having weighed it carefully. Classical music was one of Jenkins's passions, and he much enjoyed his role as president of the Windsor Festival as well as attending all the concerts in the Windsor area. He also enjoyed addressing the Windsor Rotary Club. He was much admired by the Queen, and on the day of his sudden death, February 19, she ordered that the flag on the Round Tower be flown at half mast. Ian Lawrence Jenkins was born in Cardiff on September 12 1944, and educated at Howardian Grammar School. In his youth he cycled for Glamorgan. He graduated from the Welsh National School of Medicine in 1968, and embarked on a career in surgery, becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1973 and a consultant urologist six years later. He had always loved the sea, and in 1973 he joined the Royal Naval Reserve, transferring to the Royal Navy as a surgeon lieutenant-commander in 1975. He served in the carrier Ark Royal, and at the RN hospitals at Haslar, Gosport and Gibraltar, as well as with the 3 Commando Royal Marine surgical support team – while with the Marines he undertook an Arctic survival course, commenting that he had never been so cold and that he would never again complain about the weather in Wales. A highly successful surgeon in his own right, Jenkins was also mentor to some of the best surgeons that the Navy recruited. He expected the highest standards, but although operating theatre staff sometimes saw an edgy side to his nature, he was a helpful, quietly spoken, astute man who had time for everyone. He had a good memory, recalling details about individuals whom he had not come across for many years. In 1983 he was appointed Medical Officer Abroad to the Prince of Wales – he was not impressed when the media misidentified him, during a visit to Australia, as one of the Prince's bodyguards. He was appointed Professor of Naval Surgery in 1988 when he became the Medical Officer in Charge of Haslar, and Honorary Surgeon to the Queen in 1994. In 1992 he became involved in the administration of the forces' medical services, and in 1996 was appointed the first Defence Postgraduate Medical Dean and Commandant of the new Royal Defence Medical College. He was promoted surgeon rear-admiral and Medical Director General (Naval) in 1999, and from 2002 to 2006, as surgeon vice-admiral, was Surgeon General of Her Majesty's Armed Forces; following the closure of the nation's military hospitals, his main concern was to try to establish British military medicine on a sound scientific base for the 21st century. His other interests included painting and fly-fishing. He was appointed CVO in 2000 and CB in 2006. Ian Jenkins married, in 1968, Elizabeth Lane, who survives him with their daughter and son. A full biography of Ian is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_L._Jenkins |
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