William David Kenny
Lieutenant, 4th/39th Garhwal Rifles. Indian Army
- Register No.
- 685 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- 4th/39th Garhwal Rifles. Indian Army all 39th Garhwal Rifles VCs →
- Date of action
- 2 January 1920 on this day → all of 1920 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Waziristan Campaign
- London Gazette
- 9th September 1920 on this day → all of 1920 →
- Born
- 1st February, 1899 at Saintfield, County Down, Ireland
- Died
- in action on 2nd January 1920 at Kot Kai on the North West
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
Digest of citation
At Kot Kai, on the North West Frontier of India, on 2nd January 1920, Lieutenant Kenny was in command of a company who were holding an advanced covering position which was being repeatedly attacked by the Mahsuds in far superior numbers. For more than four hours Lieutenant Kenny maintained the position repulsing three determined attacks. He was foremost in the hand to hand fighting that took place. In the subsequent withdrawal, realising that a diversion would be necessary in order to remove some of the wounded men, he turned back with a handful of men, counter-attacking the pursuing enemy. Lieutenant Kenny, with the rest of his men, was killed fighting to the last
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
KENNY, William David. (reg No. 685).
Lieutenant. 4th/39th Garhwal Rifles. Indian Army.
London Gazetted on 9th September 1920.
Born on 1st February, 1899 at Saintfield, County Down, Ireland.
Killed in action on 2nd January 1920 at Kot Kai on the North West Frontier of India. Tribute on Delhi Memorial, India.
Digest of Citation reads: At Kot Kai, on the North West Frontier of India, on 2nd January 1920, Lieutenant Kenny was in command of a company who were holding an advanced covering position which was being repeatedly attacked by the Mahsuds in far superior numbers. For more than four hours Lieutenant Kenny maintained the position repulsing three determined attacks. He was foremost in the hand to hand fighting that took place. In the subsequent withdrawal, realising that a diversion would be necessary in order to remove some of the wounded men, he turned back with a handful of men, counter-attacking the pursuing enemy. Lieutenant Kenny, with the rest of his men, was killed fighting to the last.
Frontier of India.
Tribute on Delhi Memorial, India.
Places connected with Kenny
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