William Kenny

He brought wounded men back five times under heavy gun fire.

William Kenny was born at Drogheda, County Louth, on 24 August 1880. His father Patrick was a career soldier in the regiment that became the Gordon Highlanders, and his mother was Ann Dollaghan. He attended school in Drogheda. His first attempt to enlist in 1897 ended when his mother bought his discharge, but he joined again the following year.

Known in the Army as Paddy, Kenny served with the Gordon Highlanders in South Africa during the Boer War. He later went to India and attended the Delhi Durbar in 1911. By 1914 he was a drummer in the 2nd Battalion. On active service his duties also included carrying messages and helping move casualties, work that repeatedly exposed him to enemy fire.

The battalion landed at Zeebrugge in October 1914 and took part in the attempt to relieve Antwerp before withdrawing towards Ypres. Kenny served as bugler and runner to Captain J. L. G. Burnett of A Company. On 23 October, during the fighting near Ypres, he went out five times to recover wounded men under heavy fire.

The official citation also recognized two earlier occasions when he saved machine guns by carrying them out of action, together with his repeated delivery of urgent messages across exposed ground. His award therefore covered sustained courage in several tasks, as well as the five rescues (London Gazette, 18 February 1915; citation reproduced by the Musicians' Company at https://www.wcomarchive.org.uk/kenny-vc).

King George V presented his Victoria Cross at Glasgow Green in May 1915. Russia subsequently awarded him the Cross of St George, third class. His home town granted him its freedom, and the Musicians' Company recognized him with a gold watch. He continued serving, rose to sergeant and became a drum major. A mention in despatches followed in January 1917.

After his military service he joined the Corps of Commissionaires and worked in London, including postings around Bond Street and Berkeley Square. He lived in the corps' barracks in the Strand and remained unmarried. In November 1920 he served in the Victoria Cross guard at the burial of the Unknown Warrior.

Kenny died at Charing Cross Hospital on 10 January 1936. Former Gordon Highlanders who were fellow commissionaires carried his coffin. He was buried in the Corps of Commissionaires section at Brookwood Cemetery. His medals were preserved by the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen.