James KENNEDY

Regimental number4823
Place of birthGreenock, Scotland
Other trainingBoxing and football
Age on arrival in Australia15
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationButcher
AddressLuland Street, Botany, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation17
Height5' 4.5"
Weight130 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs. K. Kennedy, Luland Street, Botany, New South Wales
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date23 September 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll15 September 1915
Place of enlistmentHolsworthy, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name4th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/21/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A15 Star Of England on 8 March 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll59th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Age at death from cemetery records18
Place of burialRation Farm Military Cemetery (Plot VI, Row F, Grave No. 42), La Chapelle d'Armentieres, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
168
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: James and Catherine KENNEDY, Botany, New South Wales. Native of Greenock, Scotland
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength, 56th Bn, Ferry Post, 20 April 1916.

Transferred to 59th Bn, 18 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Handwritten note on Form B103: 'Presume Buried In No Man's Land approx 5J90 43 to 5K02.5.1 Sheet Hazebrouck 5A'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 1500109, 1819 Pte G.F. SWEENEY, B Company, 59th Bn (patient, No 9 General Hospital, Rouen), 28 November 1916: 'I was told by Cpl. Thompson of the M.G.S. that he had seen Kennedy's head blown off by a shell.'

Second statement, 3938 Pte H. WEEDON, 59th Bn (patient, 23rd General Hospital, Etaples), 7 November 1916: 'My mate, Jones, saw Kennedy buried by shell in our trenches on the Somme. I came along just as they got him out; he was already dead.'

Third statement, 708 Pt M.J. TESSMAN, 3rd Bn (patient, 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, England), 8 December 1916: 'Witness states that about 19th July 1916 witness was in a trench in the next bay to Kennedy. He was wounded by a fragment of shell. His had was cut across throat, and nearly severed. Saw him fall like this lying face down against side of trench, buried by fall of earth up to waist. Must have been killed at once. Would probaly be buried by the fall of earth. Saw nothing more of him.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, KENNEDY James
Red Cross File No 1500109