John Patrick Lennox (21 March 1907 – 7 December 1943) was an Australian

WWII World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

serviceman and prisoner of war. He had played

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...

in the New South Wales premiership competition with

St. George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...

and South Sydney in the 1930s.

Background

Lennox was born in

Mudgee, New South Wales Mudgee () is a town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia. It is in the broad fertile Cudgegong River valley north-west of Sydney and is the largest town in the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area as well as being ...

on 21 March 1907.

Career

Lennox started his first grade career with St. George in 1930. He made an appearance with the side in Game 1 of the 1930 Country Carnival. He scored a try, helping his team defeat North Coast 21-9. He made his debut with the team in a round 5 in a 10-7 win over

North Sydney North Sydney is a suburb and commercial district on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. And is the administrative centre for the local government area of North Sydney Council. History The Indigenous people on the s ...

. He scored his debut try against Western Suburbs in round 11, helping St. George win 19-9. Two rounds later, he scored his second career try in a win over South Sydney. Lennox played in St. George's 14-6 win against Wests in the 1930 grand final. Wests however, were allowed a grand final challenge, and defeated St. George 27-2 to win the premiership. In round 14 of the 1931 season, Lennox scored a try in a loss to Newtown. Lennox made 14 appearances in the 1932 season. St. George failed to qualify for the finals, finishing the season sixth. In 1933, Lennox signed with South Sydney. He made his debut with the club in the opening round of the 1933 season against Newtown. He played 6 games that year, playing primarily as a lock. Lennox was reverted to centre for the 1934 season. He scored a try against Balmain in round 7. His final game of his career was in a 7-18 round 10 loss to his former club St. George.

War service and death

Jack Lennox enlisted in the

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...

in 1941 to fight in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He was a gunner in the 2/15th Field Regiment (Australia). The 2/15th regiment defended Singapore in 1941, were pushed back to the city and were captured by Japanese forces at the

Fall of Singapore The fall of Singapore, also known as the Battle of Singapore, took place in the South–East Asian theatre of the Pacific War. The Empire of Japan captured the British stronghold of Singapore, with fighting lasting from 8 to 15 February 1942. S ...

. Jack Lennox was made a prisoner of war of the Japanese, and died in a prison camp on 7 December 1943. He is listed on the Roll of Honor in his home town of

References

Australian rugby league players St. George Dragons players South Sydney Rabbitohs players Australian military personnel killed in World War II 1907 births 1943 deaths Rugby league centres Rugby league players from New South Wales Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian Army soldiers Australian prisoners of war World War II prisoners of war held by Japan 20th-century Australian sportsmen {{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-1900s-stub