This man is a candidate for addition to Keighley's Supplementary Volume under the proposal to add further names in 2024, the centenary of the original roll of honour.
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Supported by the National Lottery's Heritage Fund, our project intends to submit about 120 names for peer review to add them to the book which is kept at Keighley Library. The unveiling of the book with it's new names is planned for November 2024, 100 years after the unveiling of the original war memorial.
Serjeant. 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. Service Number: 7639.
Previous service: 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment. Service number 4525.
Early life:
Henry was born in Keighley in 1871, His parents were John Kennedy and Ellen Kennedy née Lavell, both originally from Ireland. He had two older brothers, Stephen aged six and Michael aged two. In the census of that year the family were living at Westgate in Keighley and John was employed as a quarry labourer.
Henry's birth was on 22nd June that year. He was born after the census, which had been taken on the night of 2 April 1871. He was baptised on the 25th June, at St. Anne's Catholic Church on North Street. His sponsors (godparents) were Thomas Lavell and Alicia Boland.
In the 1881 census he was nine years old and living with his parents at 134, Pinfold, Westgate in Keighley. Their father John was absent but may have been working away at the time. Mother Ellen aged 40 (born in County Mayo in Ireland,) was a Millhand in a woollen mill, brother Stephen aged 16, was a mechanic's labourer; Michael aged 13, was a foundry labourer; Henry aged nine, Martha aged seven, William aged five and Thomas aged two, were all recorded as scholars although the two youngest would not have been in school.
They also had two lodgers living with them, Thomas and Catherine O'Hara aged 60 and 50 respectively. Thomas was a timber yard labourer and Catherine a housekeeper, both from County Mayo, Ireland.
When he enlisted for the Army in September 1899, Henry was employed as a labourer for the Mill owner Sir Isaac Holden (who actually died in 1897.) He was employed at the Ashton works on Thornton Road in Bradford.
Army service:
He attested with the 4th Yorks on 13th September 1899 and became embodied on 5th May 1900, serving until 2nd July 1901. His service number was 4525 and he was 18 years and 7 months old.
He had some defaults during this time. On three occasions he was absent from tattoo and there were two cases of drunkenness. These were usually punished by being confined to barracks for a few days. Contrast this with his service in the Royal Scots, when he had no defaults against his name, perhaps he'd turned over a new leaf.
Henry enlisted with the Royal Scots Regiment at Bradford on 17th July 1901 aged 19 years and six months. He was a labourer. He was serving with the 4th Yorkshire (Militia) at this time. His medical details were as follows: Height 5 feet 4 inches, Chest 34 - 36 inches, Weight 124 lbs; Olive complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair and he had several tattoos. He was a Roman Catholic. He was declared fit for the Army and was issued with the service number 7639.
He served in the South African war between 10th April and 5th November 1902 and was awarded the Queen's South African Medal with a clasp for Transvaal.
On 28th August 1902 whilst serving with the Royal Scots, he re-engaged, enlisting with the colours for 7 years and the reserve for 5 years. as on 13th April 1904 he extended his service to complete 8 years with the colours, having at the time served for 2 years and 9 months. He also had one good conduct badge. His service was due to expire on 16th July 1908.
After South Africa he went to India and served there until 8th March 1909
On 15th January 1909, after 7 years and 6 months service, now a lance corporal, with two good conduct badges and an exemplary character reference, he again extended his service, now to 12 years with the colours.
He returned to the UK and was here from 9th March 1909 until 9th August 1914, whilst still serving.
Henry was 27 when he married 22 year old Sarah Alice Smith on 29th October 1910 at Holy Trinity Church on Lawkholme Lane in Keighley. His employment was Lance Corporal with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots and at the time he was serving at Edinburgh Castle. Sarah was a spinner and living at 10, Fern Street in Keighley, which is in the Showfield area of Keighley and the address still exists today. In the 1911 census Henry was away and Sarah was aged 22 and residing with her widowed mother Sarah Smith aged 56, plus her three brothers William aged 20, John aged 18 and James aged 16.
Some medical references and admissions:
Glencorse: 18/7/01 No admission
Holyrood: 8/10/01 Gonorrhoea - 39 days in hospital
Illegible place name: 9/4/02 No admission
Illegible, ends in oba:22/11/02 No admission
Basra?: 8/12/02 No admission
Illegible: 9/2/03 S.C. Fever
There follows a series of treatments for Ague, boils, ague, gonorrhea and syphilis, ending with him being placed on the syphilis register on 14/4/13 at Devonport.
These problems do not seem to have gone away and he was at Hilsea Hospital between 29/9/13 and 2/10/13 being treated for syphilis for 4 days. This was followed by a one day visit for syphilis treatment, to Devonport Hospital on 21/3/14. He received Salvarsan, 6 gramme.
He was later treated for four days, for Gonorrheal aschitis(sic) at 2nd Scottish General Hospital at Edinburgh, after which he was transferred to Newcastle upon Tyne.
He was appointed to be orderly room clerk on 14th February 1913, which clearly suited his talents.
His employment sheet for 31st December 1913 states he was a Sergeant, Orderly Regimental Clerk and a thoroughly trustworthy & reliable man. Good, hard worker, a good clerk. Military character: Very Good. B Company, Royal Scots.
His employment sheet for 1st July 1914 states he was a Sergeant, Orderly Regimental Clerk and honest & reliable. a good clerk. Military character: Very Good.
No cases of drunkenness and no entries in the conduct record.
His service: At Depot from 18/7/01; Joined 8th Provisional Battalion 8/10/01; Joined 1st Battalion 4/5/02; joined 2nd Battalion 7/12/02. Dated 31/3/14.
He was promoted to sergeant on 9th October 1913.
War service:
Henry was still serving at the outbreak of war. At the time he was living at 10, Fern Street in Keighley with his wife Sarah Alice.
He entered France with the Royal Scots on the 11th August 1914 and served overseas for two years, until he was wounded in action.
He was admitted on 28th April 1915 to 6 Stationary Hospital at Havre with debility and to Convalescent hospital on 30th April.
He was admitted on 1st September 1915 with haemorrhoids at Wimereux and to No 1 Convalescent Camp at Boulogne on 9th September. Discharged to Base depot on 24th September.
One 12th October he was admitted with anaemia at 12 General Hospital at Rouen and to the 1st South General Hospital at Stourbridge on the 17th October.
WO-95/2340/1/1 War diary for Royal Scots Fusiliers in November 1916:
Bailleulval & Basseux:
24th Nov:2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers relieved 17th Battalion Manchester Regiment in right sub-sector. Relief complete 12.30 pm. Intermittent shelling by enemy.
Trenches.
25th Nov: Quiet night. All available men employed under R.E. supervision. Honours and awards: Sgt J. McIntyre Military Medal.
26th Nov: Work as before. Artillery quiet.
27th Nov: Work as before. 12 heavy trench mortars fell on Right Front Company's line doing some damage and causing one casualty about 4 pm. Trench mortar emplacement was 'spotted' 2nd Lieutenant T. W. Nelson rejoined.
(The casualty was highly likely to have been Sergeant Henry Kennedy.)
The Scotsman 18th December 1916, page 10:
RANK AND FILE.
SCOTTISH REGIMENTS AND SCOTTISH SOLDIERS.
The following casualties amongst warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and men are reported under various dates.
All are privates except where otherwise shown. The town shown against each soldier's name is the home of his next-of-kin, except when followed by the abreviation "Enlt.," when it is his place of enlistment.
Wounded. The Royal Scots.
Kennedy, 7639, Sgt. H. (Keighley.)
Keighley News 23rd December 1916, page 3:
The names of the following Keighley soldiers have appeared in the official casualty lists of wounded issued during the past week:
Royal Scots: Sergeant H. Kennedy (7639).
Henry was admitted to 20 General Hospital at Carniers with a serious gunshot wound to the lower left leg and foot. He was transferred to County of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury, St. Albans on the 25th November 1916 and stayed there until 30th May 1917. He'd sustained a gunshot wound to his left leg and foot which had a badly broken tibia and fibula, plus serious complications with associated soft tissue damage, plus a wound to his face. His long hospital stay of over six months (187 days) indicates how serious it was. But that wasn't all his treatment, because he was then admitted to the Military Orthopaedic Hospital on Ducane Road in Shepherd's Bush, West London for further treatment of osteolysis of the tibia, a deformity, possibly caused by a plate which had been inserted, plus an infection, which meant he was here for another 43 days. In all, he'd been in hospital for over seven and a half months.
Despite all the efforts of the medical staff, Henry died of septicaemia on 12th July 1917. He was buried in grave 16 of London Kensal Green (St. Mary's) Roman Catholic Cemetery. Their names are on memorial panel on a special screen wall.
Post war:
Sarah received a weekly widows pension of £1 6s 7d commencing on 21st October 1918.
Sarah would also have received his 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal after the war, along with a bronze Memorial Plaque and King's Certificate inscribed with his name. She does not appear to have applied for the clasp and rose in respect of the 1914 Star, despite the entitlement.
Sarah was Henry's widow and sole legatee in his will and she received a payment of £12 18s 9d on 4th December 1917. She later received a war gratuity of £20 on 2nd December 1919.
In the 1921 census Sarah was a widow aged 33 and still living at 10, Fern Street in Keighley with her widowed mother Sarah aged 67. She is employed by Cinema Cafe Ltd. as a cleaner, at The Picture House Cinema on North Street in Keighley.
We could not find a definite records for Sarah in the 1939 register, nor anything suggesting she had remarried. Death records proved too numerous to separate a specific record for her, although an Alice S. Smith died aged 71 in 1960, registered in the second quarter of the year, in the Worth Valley, this is an approximate match for her age given her birth in 1888.
Remembrance:
Henry is remembered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at his grave in Edinburgh and he is named on the Royal Scots war memorial at Edinburgh Castle.
His name does not appears to be recorded on any war memorial on Keighley.
Information sources:
1871 England Census
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
England & Wales Births 1837-2006
Henricus Kennedy in 1871 - England Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms. St. Annes R.C. Church
1881 England Census
British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
1911 England Census
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919
Scotland, National War Memorial Index, 1914-1945
Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929
Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
World War I Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
1921 Census Of England & Wales
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
