Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Kennedy was born 6th of March 1892 at Broken Hill, New South Wales. At the time of his enlistment Kennedy was a single person with no children. He was 5 feet tall, weighed 8-9 stone and his chest measurement was 34 inches. He had blue eyes and brown hair. Kennedy lived in Hindmarsh, South Australia and his religion was Presbyterian. Kennedy worked as a tailor creating custom made suits, jackets, and coats. Kennedy enlisted in the AIF at the age of 22 years on the 19th of August 1914.

Kennedy joined the 10th Battalion and his service number was 85. Kennedy and the 10th Battalion set sail to Egypt with the other 3 Battalions. The 9th, 11th and 12th Battalions. They had a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia and continued on their way to Egypt. Kennedy fought with the 10th Battalion for almost six months until he had to return to Australia due to being medically unfit with Bubo swelling. He disembarked on the 25th of May 1915and was discharged on the 5th of August 1915.

Nearly a year later Kennedy re-enlisted in the A.I.F. Kennedy again served in the 10th Battalion, but with the new service number of 6777. He returned to fight on the ship HMAT Afric A19 and disembarked at Plymouth on the 9th February 1917 and completed training with the 3rd Training Battalion and was taken on strength to the 10th Battalion.

In February he was hospitalised for 8 days in Britain with a fever. Once recovered he was discharged to Sutton Veny, only to return to hospital in early March for 9 days. By the 26th March he had recovered and was sent to France, reinforcing the 10th Battalion on 1st April 1917. He would have seen action at the Battle of Bullecourt in early March which left him ill and distressed. He became ill with influenza and was initially sent to the 35th Field Ambulance on the 18th May, then transferred to the 11th Stationary Hospital on the 24th May. He was ill enough to send him back to England on the 28th May, now suffering from Trench Fever. He was admitted to the City of London Hospital on the 29th May 1917 and was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary hospital for further recovery. He was finally discharged from hospital on the 24th August and was granted leave until the 7th September when he reported to the depot at Weymouth. However, he was considered too ill to continue the fight and was sent back to Australia on the ship ‘Borda’ suffering from Trench Fever and Shell Shock.

On the 20th February 1918 Kennedy was discharged from the Australia Imperial Force at Adelaide. He went on to live for another 31 years and died from natural causes, in 1948 at Springbank South Australia. Kennedy grave is located at West Terrace Cemetery in Adelaide.