Jennings was born on 21 March 1915 and joined the RAF, as an Aircrafthand, on 1 May 1933. After training, he was posted to the Parachute Flight, Hendon and was standby member of the Parachute Pull-Off team, which involved standing on the wingtip of a Vickers Virginia, for the Air Display at Hendon in 1934.
In 1934 Jennings went to Farnborough for a photographic course and in 1935 he was posted to No 33 Squadron (Hawker Harts) at Upper Heyford as a photographer/air gunner.
The squadron was sent to the Middle East in October 1935. Jennings applied for pilot training, returned to the UK in late 1937 and remustered as an Airman u/t Pilot on 6 December 1937.
In March 1938 he was posted to 10 FTS, Ternhill, Shropshire for No 8 Course. With training completed, he was posted to RAF Cranwell in November, as a staff pilot in the Signals Squadron.
On 4 September 1939 “Jimmy” Jennings joined No 19 Squadron at Duxford to fly Spitfires. On 27 May 1940 he probably destroyed a Do 17 over Belgium and on 1 June he destroyed a Bf 110, probably another and damaged a Do 17 on a later patrol.
On 24 August Jennings destroyed two Bf 110s, on 11 September he destroyed a Bf 110 and probably a He 111 and on the 27th he damaged a Bf 109. During the Battle of Britain some of 19’s sorties were as part of No 12 Group’s “Big Wing”. On 4 April 1941 Jennings was awarded the DFM.
He went to CFS, Upavon on 12 April 1941 to train as an instructor, after which he was posted to 5 FTS, Sealand in May but returned to Upavon in September for instructing duties. He was commissioned in December 1941.
To prepare for a return to operations, Jennings went to 41 OTU, Hawarden in May 1944 and in August he joined No 168 Squadron, acting in a reconnaissance role in the 2nd Tactical Air Force with Mustangs and later Typhoons. After the squadron disbanded on 26 February 1945, Jennings commanded a Ferry Flight.
Jennings retired from the RAF on 21 March 1962, his 47th birthday, as a Wing Commander. From 1963 until 1980 he worked for the Ministry of Defence. He died in 2000.
