Soldier Record

Citation for The Victoria Cross

"All I can say is that I did my duty in France to the best of my ability." (Thomas Kenny VC)

Private Thomas KENNY

13th Service Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry

"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the night of the 4th November 1915, near La Houssoie. When on patrol in a thick fog with Lieutenant Brown, 13th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, some Germans who were lying out in a ditch in front of their parapet, opened fire and shot Lieutenant Brown through both thighs. Private Kenny, although heavily and repeatedly fired upon, crawled about for more than an hour with his wounded officer on his back, trying to find his way through the fog to our trenches. He refused more than once to go on alone, although told by Lieutenant Brown to do so. At last, when utterly exhausted, he came to a ditch which he recognised, placed Lieutenant Brown in it and went to look for help. He found an officer and a few men of his battalion at a listening post and after guiding them back with their assistance Lieutenant Brown was brought in although the Germans opened heavy fire with rifles and machine guns, and threw bombs at thirty yards distance. Private Kenny's pluck, endurance and devotion to duty were beyond praise."

London Gazette 7th December 1915.

By the end of the war Thomas had risen to the rank of Company Sergeant Major.

He died in 1948 aged 66.