{{short description|English cricketer and Royal Air Force officer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = | image = | country = England | fullname = Leonard Frank Jennings | birth_date = 5 November 1903 | birth_place = Marlborough, Wiltshire, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|1977|3|28|1903|11|5|df=yes}} | death_place = Battle, Sussex, England | nickname = | family = David Jennings (brother)<br />George Jennings (brother)<br />Tom Jennings (brother) | batting = Unknown | bowling = Unknown | role = | club1 = | year1 = | columns = 1 | column1 = First-class | matches1 = 2 | runs1 = 55 | bat avg1 = 27.50 | 100s/50s1 = –/– | top score1 = 45* | deliveries1 = 30 | wickets1 = 0 | bowl avg1 = – | fivefor1 = – | tenfor1 = – | best bowling1 = – | catches/stumpings1 = 1/– | date = 20 March | year = 2019 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/15681.html Cricinfo }}
'''Leonard Frank Jennings''' {{postnominal|OBE}} (5 November 1903 – 28 March 1977) was an English first-class cricketer and Royal Air Force officer. He served in the Royal Air Force as both a non-commissioned officer and a commissioned officer for approximately twenty-five years, as well as playing first-class cricket for the Royal Air Force cricket team.
==Life and military career== Jennings was the son of David Jennings, who played for Devon in the Minor Counties Championship. David Jennings was later the professional coach and head groundsman at Marlborough College.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/233808.html |title=Wisden - Obituaries in 1938 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |accessdate=2019-03-20}}</ref> He played first-class cricket for the Royal Air Force cricket team in 1929, playing against the Royal Navy at Chatham.<ref name="FCM">{{cite web|url=http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/30/30616/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class Matches played by Leonard Jennings |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=2019-03-20 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He made a second first-class appearance against the British Army cricket team in 1931 at The Oval.<ref name="FCM"/> Across his two first-class matches, Jennings scored 55 runs with a high score of 45 not out.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/30/30616/f_Batting_by_Team.html |title=First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Leonard Jennings |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=2019-03-20 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
Having served in the Royal Air Force as a non-commissioned officer since at least 1929, Jennings was commissioned as a flying officer on probation in April 1940, to last for the duration of the Second World War.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34859|date=28 May 1940|page=3190|supp=y}}</ref> He was confirmed in the rank in May 1941,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35176|date=30 May 1941|page=3099|supp=y}}</ref> and was promoted to the temporary rank of flight lieutenant in January 1943,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35946|date=16 March 1943|page=1310|supp=y}}</ref> with confirmation in the rank in September 1947.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38102|date=17 October 1947|page=4959|supp=y}}</ref> Jennings was mentioned in dispatches in June 1945.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27119|date=8 June 1945|page=2990|supp=y}}</ref> By 1952, he was an acting wing commander,<ref name="GAZ">{{London Gazette |issue=39555|date=30 May 1952|page=3016|supp=y}}</ref> with him being made an OBE in the 1952 Birthday Honours.<ref name="GAZ"/> He was promoted to the rank of squadron leader in May 1954, as well as retiring.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=40163|date=30 April 1954|page=2620|supp=y}}</ref> While on the Reserve of Officers list, he was promoted to the full rank of wing commander in January 1957.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=41052|date=19 April 1957|page=2473|supp=y}}</ref>
He died in March 1977 at Battle, Sussex. His brothers, David, George and Tom, all played first-class cricket.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{cricinfo|id=15681}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jennings, Leonard}} Category:1903 births Category:1977 deaths Category:People from Marlborough, Wiltshire Category:Royal Air Force wing commanders Category:English cricketers Category:Royal Air Force cricketers Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:Cricketers from Wiltshire Category:Military personnel from Wiltshire Category:20th-century English sportsmen