Thomas James Bede Kenny

Infobox Military Person
name=Thomas James Bede Kenny


caption=Thomas James Bede Kenny, c. 1917.
born=Birth date|1896|9|29
died=Death date and age|1953|4|15|1896|9|29
placeofbirth=Paddington, New South Wales
placeofdeath=Concord, New South Wales
nickname=
allegiance=Commonwealth
branch=Australian Imperial Force
serviceyears=1915-1918
rank=Corporal
unit=2nd Battalion
54th Battalion
commands=
battles=World War I
*Western Front
*Battle of the Somme
*Battle of Pozières
awards=Victoria Cross
relations=
laterwork=Salesman

Thomas James Bede Kenny VC (29 September 1896 - 15 April 1953) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He was 20 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion (N.S.W.), Australian Imperial Force during the First World War when for his conspicuous bravery he was awarded the VC.

Early life

Bede Kenny was born on 29 September 1896 at Paddington, Sydney, the son of Austin James Kenny, a butcher, from Auckland, New Zealand, and his wife Mary Christina, née Connolly, of New South Wales. He was educated at the Christian Brothers' College, Waverley.cite encyclopedia| last = Higgins| first = Matthew | encyclopedia = Australian Dictionary of Biography| title = Kenny, Thomas James Bede (1896 - 1953)| url = http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A090571b.htm| accessdate = 2008-01-23| edition = Online | year = 1983| publisher = Melbourne University Press| volume = 9| location = Melbourne| pages = pp.571-572 ]

World War I

Following matriculation from high school, he began to train as a chemist's assistant at Bondi. After just three months of training, on 23 August 1915, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force — a fortnight after the major Australian actions at Lone Pine and The Nek, Gallipoli.

On 20 December he embarked with the 13th Reinforcements, 2nd Battalion and, after arriving in Egypt, served with the 54th Battalion before joining the 2nd on 27 February 1916. In March of that year he went to France and in the second phase of the Battle of Pozières fought in the battalion bombing platoon.

On 9 April 1917, at Hermies, France, Kenny's platoon was held up by an enemy strong point. Despite heavy enemy fire, he ran alone towards the enemy, killing one man who tried to stop him, and soon after bombing the enemy position. Kenny was successful in wounding and capturing the gun crew and seizing the gun. For his actions in Hermies he was awarded the Victoria Cross. His citation read:cite web|url= http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10815465|title= Thomas James Bede Kenny|accessdate= 2008-01-23 |last= Wilson|first= Paul F.|year= 2005|month= April |publisher= Find a grave]

Following this, Kenny was immediately promoted to Lance Corporal and soon afterwards was evacuated to England with trench feet. He rejoined the battalion at Hazebrouck and on 26 June 1918 was wounded during fighting in the Merris sector. Despite describing his injuries as "nothing to write home about", he was invalided to Australia in August, arriving in Sydney on 9 October. He had become a Corporal earlier that same month. In Sydney, Kenny rejected an offer to join the military police, whom it is said he disliked intensely, and was subsequently discharged on 12 December.

Civilian life

Returning to civilian life in Australia, Kenny began working as a travelling salesman for Clifford Love & Co. (manufacturers, importers and merchants). He then joined the "Sunday Times" newspaper in Sydney, and shortly after became a traveller for Penfolds Wines Ltd.

On 29 September 1927, Kenny married Kathleen Dorothy Buckley, a florist, at St Mary's Cathedral; they had three children. Kenny repeatedly suffered the effects of trench feet; the war had also made him partially deaf. His eldest daughter died in 1943, and his only son in 1948, both from rheumatic fever, from which it is said he never recovered.

Though he never talked openly of his wartime experiences, Kenny always led the V.C. winners in the Sydney Anzac Day march.

Death

Survived by his wife and one daughter, Kenny died in Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney, on 15 April 1953 and was buried in Botany cemetery. Ironically the pall bearers at his funeral were military policemen.

Legacy

In 1957, the Bede Kenny Memorial Ward was opened at Wentworth Private Hospital, Randwick, to provide beds for ex-servicemen ineligible for repatriation hospital treatment.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial.

References

See also

* List of Victoria Cross recipients by name - K
* List of First World War Victoria Cross recipients
* List of Australian Victoria Cross recipients
* List of Old Boys of Waverley College

External links

* [http://www.iol.net.au/~conway/vicross/kenny.html Private T.J.B. Kenny] "(photo, brief details)"