Jack was born on 1 May 1914 in Durban, South Africa to Ahron and Elizabeth nee Canarick.

Jack was killed on board H.M.S. Glorious. He had taken part in the successful evacuation of fighters from Narvik on 26 May 1940. A trio of Gladiator Mk II biplanes flown by F/L Caesar B Hull, P/O Jack Falkson and Lt Anthony JG “Tony” Lydekker were detached from Bardufoss further south to Bodø to cover troops retreating northwards from the German advance.

He had landed with nine other pilots from 263 Squadron in their Gladiator aircraft. The ship was attacked and sunk by the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau later in the day with the loss of almost all on board.