Following the liberation of the Channel Islands, he joined the Royal Air Force, serving in the Middle East and Italy until he was demobilised in 1948.
For example, when he was president of the Island Development Committee, the Bailiff of the time, Sir Frank Ereaut, stated “Senator Shenton puts a human face on planning”.
He also introduced disciplined measures for the sorting of waste which in turn cleaned up Island hedgerows and restored St. Ouen's Bay to its former glory.
He served on committees which were responsible for the Constitution of the Island, the Defence contribution to the U.K. and matters affecting relationships with the Home Office and the UK Government.
It was his handling of industrial relations and his relationship with the Trade Union and workers that he was seen at his best, with employer and employee alike recognising his integrity and giving him the respect accorded to very few politicians.
In 2004 he returned to the States Assembly with a landslide victory in the by-election caused by the resignation of the late Senator Christopher Lakeman.
The introduction of the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners was a good example of this type of collaboration – the concept engineered by him and pushed through the Assembly, despite vigorous opposition, by Ben – using a few political tricks to ensure that it was adopted.
On the fund raising side, he has chaired many committees: De La Salle, his old school, when there were fears that it would have to close; the Little Sisters of the Poor, in the change to the Jeanne Jugan Residence, where they now provided the finest facilities for the elderly in the Island; and more recently he was the driving force behind the campaign to build a new Parish Church for the Catholic community.
Senator Shenton has always been most insistent in providing a Register of Members’ Interests and a strict code of conduct for politicians to follow.
No one in Jersey politics, apart from Senator Shenton, has topped the poll 4 times and the record number of votes was only beaten in 2011 with a much larger electorate.