Jørgen Christian Jensen VC (15 January 1891 – 31 May 1922)
Jensen was born in Logstor, Denmark, the third of four children. In 1908, he moved to England before he emigrated to Australia in March 1909 and worked in Australia for the next five years. A month after the war commenced, he was naturalised a British subject at Adelaide, South Australia, on 7 September 1914.
Jensen served in the AIF between March 1915 and December 1918, rising to the rank of corporal.
When he was 26 years old and a private in the 50th battalion, the deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 2 April 1917 at Noreuil, France, Private Jensen, with five comrades, attacked a barricade behind which were about 45 of the enemy and a machine-gun. One of the party shot the gunner and Private Jensen rushed the post and threw in a bomb. Then, with a bomb in each hand, he threatened the rest and made them surrender. He sent one of his prisoners to another group of the enemy, ordering them to surrender, which they did, but our troops began firing on them, where-upon Private Jensen, regardless of danger stood on the barricade waving his helmet, and the firing stopped. He then sent his prisoners back to our lines.
In May 1918, Jensen was severely wounded whilst on patrol after the retaking of Villers-Bretonneux.
Upon returning to Australia Jensen was discharged medically unfit for further service. He later worked as a marine-store dealer in Adelaide until his death from war related injuries in 1922. His body was carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage to the West terrace Cemetery and he was buried with full military honours in the AIF section of the cemetery. It was reported as "one of the most impressive funerals which have passed through the gates of the West Terrace Cemetery" and "probably one of the largest military funerals ever held in Adelaide."
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial. In Løgstør, Denmark, there is a statue erected in his memory in a park.