Sir John Jensen
OBE
Secretary of the Department of Munitions
In office
1 January 1942 – 5 April 1948
Secretary of the Department of Supply and Development
In office
6 July 1948 – 31 July 1949
Personal details
Born
John Klunder

(1884-03-20)20 March 1884
Bendigo, Victoria
Died17 February 1970(1970-02-17) (aged 85)
Hawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria
Resting placeBox Hill Cemetery
NationalityAustralia Australian
Spouse(s)Maria Ruby Gordon
(m. 1911)
OccupationPublic servant

Sir John Klunder Jensen OBE (20 March 1884 – 17 February 1970) was a senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Department of Munitions between 1942 and 1948.

Life and career

John Jensen was born in Bendigo, Victoria on 20 March 1884.[1]

He joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1901, the year of Australia's federation and the year the service was first established.[1]

In 1920, Jensen visited the United States on rifle-manufacturing business, and he went on to study factory administration in England and in the United States.[2]

In January 1942, Jensen was appointed Secretary of the Department of Munitions.[3][4] During his time as permanent head of the Munitions department, he was a member of the Allied Supply Standing Committee and the executive of the Allied Supply Council.[5] In the role, he played a leading part in organizing munitions supply during World War II.[6] His department was abolished in 1948 after scaling down after the world war.[5] At this time, Jensen was moved to head the Department of Supply and Development.[7] In his role at the Department of Supply and Development, he found himself frequently journeying to South Australia, including to visit the Woomera Rocket Range, and in connection to uranium mining.[8]

Jensen retired in 1949.[9] Immediately after retirement he took work as a member of the Commonwealth Immigration Planning Council.[5]

On 17 February 1970, Jensen died in Hawthorn, Melbourne.[1]

Awards and honours

In 1938, Jensen was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[10] In the 1950 Birthday Honours he was made a Knight Bachelor, for services to munitions production.[11]

In December 1969, the Victorian headquarters of the Department of Supply was named Jensen House in John Jensen's honour.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Steven, Margaret (1996), "Jensen, Sir John Klunder (1884–1970)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 18 April 2014
  2. ↑ "Successor to Mr. Brigden: Mr. J. K. Jensen". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 January 1942. p. 4.
  3. ↑ "Munitions Department Appointment". The Mercury. Hobart, Tasmania. 1 January 1942. p. 5.
  4. ↑ CA 39: Department of Munitions, Central Administration, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 13 March 2020, retrieved 8 May 2014
  5. 1 2 3 CP 138: Sir John Klunder JENSEN OBE, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 8 May 2014
  6. ↑ "Mr. Jensen To Speed Up Homes For Migrants". The Canberra Times. 12 April 1949. p. 2.
  7. ↑ CA 54: Department of Supply and Development, Central Office [II], National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 22 February 2015, retrieved 8 May 2014
  8. ↑ "Mr. J. K. Jensen in new post: Accommodation for migrants". The Advertiser. Adelaide, South Australia. 12 April 1949. p. 2.
  9. ↑ "Secretary of Supply Department", Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, p. 4, 9 April 1949, Mr. H. P. Breen has been appointed Secretary of the Department of Supply and Development, in succession to Mr. J. K. Jensen, who has reached retiring age.
  10. ↑ "Search Australian Honours: JENSEN, John Klunder", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 8 May 2014
  11. ↑ "Search Australian Honours: JENSEN, John Klunder", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 8 May 2014



This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.