Jensen, Mervyn

Mervyn Bernard George Jensen was born in Stratford on 21 April 1915, the only son of George Christian Jensen (1883-1959) and Muriel Alice Jensen (nee Waterson) (1886-1958). He grew up on the family farm in Matau with his sisters Doris, who was five years older, and Marjorie, who his parents adopted just after her birth in 1918.

Mervyn attended Matau School and was a keen woodworker and wood chopper, taking part in local axemen’s carnivals. He was working on the farm with his father George when he was called up for overseas service in March 1941 and interviewed in Hāwera the following month by the selection board of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. George appealed to the No.2 Armed Forces Appeal Board in Stratford just a week later, explaining that he and Mervyn farmed nearly 2000 acres of back country together and that losing his son would cause “undue hardship” to their family. Mervyn was instead given three months of “intensive territorial training” beginning in June.

George appealed on his son’s behalf again in January 1942, claiming that although he was “prepared to do all possible to help” the war effort he could not cope without his son when shearing time came. However, Mervyn was finally ordered to serve with the RNZAF in October 1942. He trained in Canada, graduating from the No.39 Royal Canadian Air Force Flying Training School in Saskatchewan on 23 December 1944, then at the No. 1 Air Navigation School in Manitoba. Mervyn was later awarded the War Medal 1939-1945 and the New Zealand War Service Medal.

Mervyn’s adopted sister Marjorie Jensen (later Bartle) (1918-2005) also served with the Royal New Zealand Airforce as part of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) at Bell Block aerodrome during the Second World War.

Mervyn married Merle Kathleen Deacon (1929-2020) in 1950 and they had eight children: Christopher, Audrey, Janet, Warren, Bryce, Rosemary, Kerry and Deborah. He continued to farm in Matau until the 1960s when he and Merle moved to New Plymouth. He also continued to compete in wood chopping, winning multiple titles at the World Lumberjack Championships in the 1970s and 1980s and setting several world records – 9.98 seconds for the Men’s Double Buck in 1981 and 21.7 seconds for the Men’s Single Buck in 1982.

Mervyn Jensen died of a heart attack in Australia on 28 March 1983, shortly after competing in a wood chopping event at the Sydney Easter Show. His funeral was attended by hundreds and he was buried at Awanui Cemetery in New Plymouth.

Related Documents

Jensen dies in Sydney Taranaki Herald 29 March 1983

A champion farewelled Taranaki Daily News 5 April 1983