Edward Kenna VC - RIP

[Captain Seafort]

Times Obituary

The German surrender in Europe in May 1945 brought little immediate change to the situation in South-East Asia. US forces under General Douglas MacArthur had liberated almost all the islands of the Philippines in February, and the British under General William Slim were to complete defeat of the Japanese Army in Burma in August, but the enemy still held Malaya, Singapore and the Dutch East Indies. The northern and western coasts of the huge island of New Guinea also remained in Japanese hands, although the Australians had steadfastly retained control of Port Moresby in the southeast. Complete control of the island lying across air and sea communications to Northern Australia was a logical next step.

Although sparsely populated, the terrain of the island presented serious difficulties, being better suited to defence than advance. 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. Progress was slow in the interest of keeping Allied casualties as low as possible, but the port and former air base of Wewak were captured by the 2/4th Infantry battalion of 6th Australian Division on May 11.

Adachi conducted a skilful withdrawal to a new defence line in rugged terrain south of the coastline. His artillery then began a systematic shelling of the Australian 6th Division on the lower ground directed from the former Wirul Mission. The 2/4th Infantry Battalion, with its own artillery support, was instructed to climb the hills and eliminate the threat from this observation point. The attack began on May 14 and after a hard fight the Japanese position was taken except for three strong points on the northwestern spur.

The Australian attack resumed next day. When the first two sections of the leading platoon of the attacking company were forced to take cover from enemy fire, Private Edward Kenna retaliated with his Bren light machine-gun firing from his platoon's support section position, but the uneven ground prevented him from silencing the enemy bunkers. He stood up to get a clear view and fired his Bren from the hip at the weapon slits of the nearest bunker a mere 50 yards ahead. Miraculously, the Japanese return fire, although seen to pass between his arms and body, failed to wound him.

When an enemy rifleman fired from the flank, Kenna silenced him with a single shot. He then quelled the fire from both the near bunkers, while the third was knocked out by a supporting tank. The whole spur was taken with only a handful of prisoners, indicating the fierceness of the action.

In another encounter three weeks later, Kenna was hit in the mouth by a rifle bullet, which inflicted serious injuries to his head and face. After field evacuation he was flown to Heidelberg, in Victoria, where the military hospital had a medical unit specialising in head wounds. There he met Nurse Marjorie Rushberry who nursed him to recovery over a period of many months.

On January 6, 1947, Kenna was invested with the Victoria Cross by the Governor-General of Australia, the Duke of Gloucester, in recognition of his fearless gallantry at Wewak on 15 May 1945, which ensured the success of his company's attack without further loss to his comrades. He and Rushbury were married in June 1947.

Edward Kenna was born at Hamilton, Victoria, the son of Bryan F. Kenna. He was educated at St. Mary's Convent, Hamilton, and worked as a plumber on leaving school. He served in the Citizen (Reserve) Military Forces before the war, enlisting for active service in August 1940. He embarked with the 2/4th Infantry Battalion for New Guinea in October 1944.

On return to Hamilton after recovery from his wounds, he worked for some time at Borough Hall, before becoming curator of the Melville Oval cricket and sports ground. He attended celebrations to mark the centenary of the Victoria Cross in London 1956 and subsequent reunions of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association. He travelled widely in Australia to meetings of the Returned Services League to speak about his wartime experiences.

He was presented to the Queen during her visit to the Hall of Memory to the Australian fallen in Canberra on March 27, 2000, and in that year unveiled a plaque at the Repatriation Hospital in Melbourne in memory of his comrades who had died in war.

His death leaves nine surviving holders of the Victoria Cross, of whom three are veterans of the Second World War. He is survived by his wife Marjorie, two sons and a daughter. Another daughter, Annette, was killed with her husband in a motorcycle accident in 2008.

Edward Kenna, VC, veteran of wartime operations in New Guinea, was born on July 6, 1919. He died on July 8, 2009, aged 90

[Sionnach Glic]

*moment of silence*

May he rest in peace.

[Mikey]

Indeed. Valhalla awaits, or whatever you Brits believe in.

[Tsukiyumi]

Now there's a guy you just have to respect. RIP.