Jack, whose birth name was Koppel, was born on 19 July 1904 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and was one of eleven children. His parents Reuben and Minnie nee Clutts were born in Lithuania. Jack worked as a tailor’s presser before enlisting into the Royal Artillery on 23 June 1941.

Sadly Jack died only three months after enlisting. On 9 September 1941, Jack and his father went out for a drink and on arriving home Jack went to his attic bedroom where he shared a room with his brother Israel. Israel heard him moving about and shortly after heard a bump on the pavement. His father found him dead on the pavement outside their home. Jack died from a fractured skull.