After school, he joined the Aero Club of NSW and was the first Knox Old Boy to gain a private pilot’s license. In 1937 he was recruited to join the RAF and was stationed in England. Peter served in the Royal Air Force from 1938 as a Flying Officer of the 224 Squadron. Peter's courage was displayed when he rescued the pilot of a sinking plane from rough seas near Fife, Scotland and when he helped search for others who had disappeared.
Tragically, Peter was reported missing and presumed killed in action on 21 December 1940. A stained-glass window, in his memory, is located at Holy Trinity Church Dunfermline Scotland. His memorial can be found at the RAF Memorial at Runnymede, England. The School remembers him on the OKGA War Memorial.
The Knox Heritage Centre holds a large collection memorabilia of Peter’s life thanks to his sister Diana and his goddaughter, Mrs Amanda Chapel.
Peter's NSW Aero Club Wings (1933)
Peter's Royal Flying Wings (1933)
Peter’s sister, through the Diana Elizabeth Johnstone Jenkins Bequest, provides funds for the School to award the Peter J Jenkins Bursary in his memory.
Leave your mark and continue the legacy by donating memorabilia and photographs to the School. Email archives@knox.nsw.edu.au for more info.
