Ted Kenna VC

[anthony]

Ted Kenna VC, the last Australian VC of World War 2, died on Wednesday 8 July 2009 two days after his 90th birthday. He has been failing for some time and the death was not unexpected. Obituaries have appeared in major newspapers but I would like to comment on the Times obituary. www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article6676325.ece

It is bit bizarre to describe the role of the 6th Australian Division as “Eight US and seven Australian divisions with supporting air forces were assigned for the assault on General Adachi’s Japanese 18th Army on the north coast.”

There has been confusion even in Australia in describing Ted Kenna’s military service. The Times said “He served in the Citizen (Reserve) Military Forces before the war, enlisting for active service in August 1940.” It should read “He served in the Citizen Military Forces (part time militia forces) from August 1940 and was allotted service number V55955. In December 1941, the Citizen Military Forces was called up for full time service for the duration of the war. In June 1942, Kenna volunteered for the AIF and was allotted new service number VX102142. In August 1943, the 23rd/21st Battalion was disbanded and in September he was posted to the 2/4th Battalion.”

With the passing of Ted Kenna there is just seven serving Victoria Cross recipients including one RAF and two Gurkhas from World War 2 and one each from Korea, Confrontation, Vietnam (Australian Keith Payne) and Iraq.

[anthony]

Just expanding on the previous post. Ted Kenna enlisted in the Citizen Military Forces, the part time militia forces of the Australian Military Forces (as the Australian Army was known as in World War 2) on 9 August 1940 and was allotted service number V55955. In early 1941, Kenna joined the 23rd/21st Battalion and in December 1941, the Citizen Military Forces including the 23rd/21st Battalion was called up for full time service for the duration of the war. In May 1942, the veteran 19th Brigade of the 6th Australian Division moved to Darwin but its 2/11th Battalion remained in Perth where the 3rd Australian Corps had been formed and was being reinforced with two infantry and one armoured divisions. To take the place of the 2/11th Battalion, the Victorian based 23rd/21st Battalion joined the 19th Brigade in Darwin on 9 May 1942. The other battalions of the brigade, the 2/4th and 2/8th had seen service in the Middle East, Greece and Crete. About a month after arriving in Darwin, Kenna volunteered in June 1942 to join the AIF. He was allotted new service number VX102142 but remained in the 23rd/21st Battalion. After more than a year in Darwin, the 19th Brigade in early June 1943 moved to Queensland although the 23rd/21st Battalion first returned to Melbourne. The battalion was disbanded in Queensland in August and Kenna like many of the men of the 23rd/21st joined the 2/4th or the 2/8th Battalions of the 19th Brigade. The reference for the movements of the 23rd/21st Battalion is Graham R Mackenzie Smith. Australia’s Forgotten Army: Volume 2, Defending the northern gateways, Northern Territory and Torres Strait, 1938 to 1945, 1995, ISBN 0 646 24404 3.

[Les]

Thanks Anthony. I must admit I missed this thread (and the news).... but the homepage of the main site has been updated..........

The death has been reported of Private Edward Kenna VC, 2nd / 4th ( New South Wales ) Bn, Australian Imperial Force, at a nursing home in Geelong, Victoria. He was the last surviving Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross of the Second World War.

A state funeral was held in St Patrick's Cathedral, East Melbourne, on Thursday, 16th July 2009, followed by a burial service at St Mary's Catholic Church, Lonsdale Street, Hamilton, on Friday, 17th July. Edward Kenna was then buried in the Hamilton Lawn Cemetery, Victoria.