Jens Jensen was born in Aunslev, Denmark on April 17, 1920, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Anders Chris Jensen, of 138 North Forsythe Street, Sarnia. At age 11, Jens arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 8, 1931 aboard the passenger ship United States which had left Copenhagen, Denmark. He would later become the husband of Mrs. Anna Jensen who, at the time of Jens’ death, resided with his parents at 138 North Forsythe Street, Sarnia. Jens was a resident of Fitzroy Harbor, near Arnprior, when he enlisted in the Canadian Army in Ottawa in June 1941. At his enlistment, he recorded his occupation as a truck driver, and his place of residence as 197 Brock Street, Peterborough, Ontario.

Jens Jensen went overseas on April 24, 1942 and was in England until the invasion of Normandy. On June 6, 1944, Jens Jensen participated in the D-Day invasion on Normandy, France. His father did not know his son Jens had participated in D-Day until he received a letter from him that was written in France. Only three months later, on September 18, 1944, while fighting in Belgium, Jens Jensen would lose his life. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Governor General’s Foot Guards, R.C.A.C., 21st Armed Regiment, with the rank of Guardsman.

The week before being informed of his death, parents Mr. and Mrs. Anders Jensen in Sarnia would receive a letter from their son Jens in which he had written that, “he was in Belgium, and that he was getting along well”. In early October of 1944, Mr. and Mrs. Anders Jensen in Sarnia would receive a telegram from the director of records in Ottawa informing them that their son, Trooper Jens Carlo Jensen, was killed in action on September 18. There was no indication where their son met his death.

Jens Jensen would later be officially listed as, Overseas casualty, killed in action, in the field (Belgium). In July 1948, the Belgian government awarded Jens Jensen posthumously, the decoration “Croix de Guerre 1940 avec Palme.” The award states; The King has been pleased to grant unrestricted permission for the wearing of the following decoration which has been conferred upon the undermentioned in recognition of distinguished services in the cause of the Allies. Twenty-four year old Jens Jensen is buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Belgium, Grave IV.B.12.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, J, L, N, 2C, 2D