330:, 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
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For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when his platoon was held up by an enemy strongpoint, and severe casualties prevented progress. Private Kenny, under very heavy fire at close range, dashed alone towards the enemy's position, killed one man in advance of the strongpoint who
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endeavoured to bar his way. He then bombed the position, captured the gun crew, all of whom he had wounded, killed an officer who showed fight, and seized the gun. Private Kenny's gallant action enabled this platoon to occupy the position, which was of great local importance.
41:
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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
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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
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cemetery. The pall bearers at his funeral were military policemen. He was survived by his wife and one of his daughters.
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315:– the 2nd Battalion's daughter battalion – before joining the 2nd on 27 February 1916. In March 1916 he went to
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402:. Though he never talked openly of his wartime experiences, Kenny always led the VC awardees in the Sydney
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213:, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and
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Kenny repeatedly suffered the effects of trench-foot; the war had also made him partially
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477:. Vol. 9 (Online ed.). Melbourne: Melbourne University Press. pp. 571–572
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575:(2nd ed.). Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian War Memorial.
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In 1957, the Bede Kenny
Memorial Ward was opened at Wentworth Private Hospital,
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283:. After just three months of training, on 23 August 1915, he enlisted in the
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earlier that same month. In Sydney, Kenny rejected an offer to join the
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On 29 September 1927, Kenny married
Kathleen Dorothy Buckley, a
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newspaper in Sydney, and shortly after became a traveller for
543:"Victoria Cross : Private T J B Kenny, 2 Battalion, AIF"
260:, New Zealand, and his wife Mary Christina, née Connolly, of
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when for his conspicuous bravery he was awarded the VC.
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Australian World War I recipients of the
Victoria Cross
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347:and soon afterwards was evacuated to England with
343:Following this, Kenny was immediately promoted to
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418:, Sydney, on 15 April 1953 and was buried in
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615:Australian military personnel of World War I
395:, from which it is said he never recovered.
244:Bede Kenny was born on 29 September 1896 at
323:, fought in the battalion bombing platoon.
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630:Burials at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park
505:(Supplement). 8 June 1917. p. 5705.
205:(29 September 1896 – April 1953) was an
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432:His Victoria Cross is displayed at the
471:"Kenny, Thomas James Bede (1896–1953)"
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416:Concord Repatriation General Hospital
266:Christian Brothers' College, Waverley
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635:People educated at Waverley College
252:, the son of Austin James Kenny, a
475:Australian Dictionary of Biography
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517:"Private Thomas James Bede Kenny"
319:and, in the second phase of the
351:. He rejoined the battalion at
625:Military personnel from Sydney
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571:Wigmore, Lionel, ed. (1986).
271:Following matriculation from
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220:He was 20 years old, and a
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549:. Australian War Memorial
523:. Australian War Memorial
469:Higgins, Matthew (1983).
285:Australian Imperial Force
275:, he began to train as a
264:. He was educated at the
230:Australian Imperial Force
106:Australian Imperial Force
45:Thomas James Bede Kenny,
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610:Australian Army soldiers
434:Australian War Memorial
307:and, after arriving in
199:Thomas James Bede Kenny
33:Thomas James Bede Kenny
18:Thomas James Bede Kenny
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334:. His citation read:
112:Years of service
326:On 9 April 1917, at
207:Australian recipient
573:They Dared Mightily
389:St Mary's Cathedral
161:Battle of the Somme
502:The London Gazette
321:Battle of Pozières
311:, served with the
166:Battle of Pozières
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87:, New South Wales
70:, New South Wales
65:29 September 1896
16:(Redirected from
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189:Other work
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332:Victoria Cross
313:54th Battalion
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551:. Retrieved
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374:Sunday Times
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215:Commonwealth
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144:Battles/wars
80:(1953-04-15)
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605:1953 deaths
600:1896 births
497:"No. 30122"
349:trench-foot
273:high school
232:during the
594:Categories
582:0642994714
547:Collection
481:23 January
440:References
353:Hazebrouck
246:Paddington
240:Early life
92:Allegiance
68:Paddington
61:1896-09-29
404:Anzac Day
289:Lone Pine
95:Australia
427:Randwick
358:corporal
258:Auckland
217:forces.
192:Salesman
124:Corporal
100:Service/
406:march.
385:florist
328:Hermies
293:The Nek
277:chemist
256:, from
254:butcher
224:in the
222:private
209:of the
115:1915–18
85:Concord
579:
553:25 May
527:25 May
420:Botany
317:France
250:Sydney
179:Awards
102:branch
387:, at
309:Egypt
281:Bondi
49:1917.
577:ISBN
555:2016
529:2016
483:2008
400:deaf
291:and
130:Unit
120:Rank
75:Died
55:Born
596::
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519:.
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473:.
447:^
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380:.
295:.
268:.
248:,
228:,
203:VC
201:,
47:c.
585:.
557:.
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485:.
63:)
59:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
