Sapper Archie Kennedy

SAPPER ARCHIE KENNEDY

427 – 1st Tunnelling Company

Archie Kennedy was born in Brunswick, Victoria in 1897 the son of Archibald Hardman and Emma (nee Russell) Kennedy. Education was at Moreland State School and military experience gained with the 12th Aust Army Service Corps and was still serving at his time of enlistment.

At the recruiting depot in Perth, Western Australia on November 1, 1915 the eighteen-year-old clerk applied to enlist for active service abroad. Passing the medical examination Attestation forms were completed which describe him as 178cms (5ft 10ins) tall, weighing 70.9kgs (156lbs) with a chest expansion of 84-92cms (33-36ins). Sallow was his complexion with brown eyes and black hair and distinctive marks were a scar on the left eye and one in his left upper lip. Religion was Presbyterian. Next-of-kin nominated was his father Mr Archibald Hardman Kennedy of 3 Prentice Street, Elsternwick, Vic. The “Oath of Enlistment” was taken the same day.

The Officer commanding the 12th A.A.S.C. 3rd Military District, Caulfield, Vic certified that Corporal A. Kennedy No. 3512 had returned all kit etc., on issue to him from that company.

Basic training commenced with the Aust Service Corps from November 8, 1915 and allotted to the 2nd Reinforcement, 7th Supply Depot, A.S.C.

Meanwhile in Sydney, New South Wales a civic parade was held in the Sydney Domain on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.

Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces. Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board. On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock. The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted. The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.

On March 30, 1916 Archie was transferred to the No.1 Company of the Mining Corps at Blackboy Hill camp, near Perth. His rank was Sapper with the regimental number 427.

Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.

A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’. The No. 1 Company later became the 1st Tunnelling Company in the field.

Sapper Kennedy was killed in action on June 20, 1916 aged only nineteen years along with Sapper Harold Grabham. Burial took place the same day in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, situated 1 mile South South East of Ypres, Belgium with the service conducted by Rev. A. Madden of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade.

The Unit Diary of the 1st Tunnelling Company for that day only gives the following brief details:

ARMENTIERESJune 1916

All 3 p.m.20thTrench 88Trenches 95 to 101Ploegsteert 5’ 10”

2 men killed; 1 wounded

Captain O.W. Woodward, an Officer with the 1st Tunnelling Company wrote in his autobiography for his children My War Story of the Great War their movements in the Armentieres Sector during that time in more detail:

Field Service Reports of the young soldier’s death were sent on July 1, 1916 to Headquarters and a cable to Base Records in Australia where confirmation was returned on July 8. His parents were notified of his demise. On July 12 a copy of his War Service Record was made for the Pension Department.

At his former school in Melbourne, Vic the following ceremony took place and was reported in the:

The local newspaper had begun compiling a Roll of Honour of volunteers for service and his name appeared on this Roll in the:

The Commanding Officer of his Section, possibly Lieut. A. Cohen, wrote to his father explaining the circumstances regarding his son’s unfortunate death. The following is a copy of the letter sent to Sapper Grabham’s parents and appeared in the:

On September 27, 1916 Sapper Kennedy’s Pass Book was returned to the 5th Military District, Perth for return to the relevant legatee and receipt of same acknowledged on October 20 by Base Records.

It appears that Archie worked for the following company who were also establishing their own Staff Records of employees who answered the call and this article was news in the:

Base Records officially advised by letter on October 29, 1916 to Mr H. Kennedy on the regrettable loss of his son and could now advise the death details and burial place of their son and who officiated at his burial. These details were furnished by direction of Department Policy in connection with deceased members of the A.I.F.

As a former member of Moreland State School his name was placed to be inscribed on their Roll of Honour and details of those were published in the:

Base Records forwarded by registered post no. 3555 the late soldier’s personal effects to his father that had arrived from London on the transport Wiltshire and the Inventory compiled shows the following items were returned:

Tooth brush, Mirror (damaged), Bible, 2 Testaments, 2 Diaries, 6 Books, 2 Note Books, Wrist Watch and Strap Medal attached, Safety razor, Fountain pen (damaged) in case, Comb, 2 Handkerchiefs, Belt, Letters, Photos, Razor and strop, Belt and chain attached, Card case, Drinking cup, 2 Coins, Tobacco pouch, Wooden trinket box, Belgian brooch, Spurs, Pipe, Small bag containing bullets, Badges etc.

The Consignment Receipt for the package was signed by his mother on February 16, 1917 and her handwritten note dated the same day to Records said:

A Pension of forty shillings per fortnight was granted to his mother Emma on October 30, 1917.

The Circular and Booklet re Soldier’s Graves was despatched to his father on October 20, 1919 and a reminder sent out on February 3, 1922.

A Form relating to the late soldier was sent to his former Unit before enlistment.

The Office of War Graves Services in London advised on February 2, 1921 to Base Records that on the following day’s outgoing mail three photos of the G.R.U. Cross marking the actual grave of the soldier plus three photographs of the Battalion Memorial Cross which was originally erected in Aeroplane Military Cemetery were being despatched to them.

The writer noted that the Memorial Cross had been removed from that Cemetery since the photos had been taken and had now been placed in the rear of the G.R.U. Cross marking his actual place of burial. Any discrepancy appearing on the Temporary Memorial would be rectified when the permanent headstone was erected.

On April 4, 1921 photos in triplicate were transmitted to his next-of-kin and receipted on April 14 by his father.

For his supreme sacrifice Sapper 427 Archie Kennedy, 1st Tunnelling Company was awarded the British War Medal (35037) and the Victory Medal (34783).

The War Medal was sent to the Commandant 3rd Military District for distribution to Mr Kennedy on December 9, 1921 and receipted by him on October 4, 1922 and the Victory Medal was issued at their counter on January 6, 1923 to his father and receipted.

The Memorial Scroll (320468) along with the pamphlet ‘Where the Australians Rest’ were forwarded to Mr Kennedy on behalf of his son on December 22, 1921 and he signed the receipt on January 6, 1922. The Memorial Plaque (320468) went out to his father on July 13, 1922 and he receipted delivery on October 4, 1922.

Australian War Memorial records state he was serving with the Aust Mining & Boring Company but the grave registration book listing his burial give ‘1/Co. Aust Mining Corps’ and letters from the front also confirm this.

His grave is located in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), Zillebeke, Belgium in plot 6 within Row C in grave no. 44.

LEST WE FORGET

Footnote: His cousin, Corporal 2878 Reginald ‘Dutch’ Edward Poulter, served with the 60th Infantry Battalion at Bullecourt in France. The following was published in the:

© Donna Baldey 2015