Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Owen Patrick Kenny was born on 20th December 1894 at Drayton, QLD, the 3rd eldest of 9 children born to his parents Patrick and Mary Kenny.  He had 2 sisters and 6 brothers, however 2 brothers died in infancy.  After completing his education at the Christian Brothers School in Toowoomba QLD, he worked as a clerk with Queensland Railways.   He was serving with the 24th Army Medical Corps when he enlisted for WW1 on the 22nd August 1914 at Toowoomba QLD aged 19.  His service number was 82, his rank was Driver and he was assigned to the 3rd Field Ambulance A Section.  He’s described as being 5ft 6ins tall with a fair complexion, grey eyes and fair hair. 

After completing his training at Enoggera Army Base in Brisbane QLD, he embarked from Brisbane on the 25th September on HMAT Rangatira and sailed with the First Convoy from Albany WA on 1st November 1914.  He arrived in Alexandria Egypt on 9th December and proceeded to Mena Camp just outside Cairo.  He remained there till 3rd March 1915 when he and the 3rd Field Ambulance (3rd FA) embarked from Alexandria on HMAT Malda, anchoring in Mudros Bay off Lemnos Island 3 days later.  A month later, in preparation for the landings on the Gallipoli Peninsula, the Bearer Division of the 3rd FA with 3 Officers…Captains Conrick, (A Section), Fry (B Section) and McWhae (C Section)…plus 114 ranks, transhipped to HMT Ionian.  On the 19th April they transhipped to HMT Suffolk then on the 21st, Captain Conrick fell ill so Lyle replaced him to take command of A Section.  On the 24th April the unit transhipped to the HMAT Devanha and then to the Destroyer HMS Ribble which arrived off shore of Anzac Cove in the early hours of the 25th.  The unit disembarked into row boats and went ashore under heavy fire at 4.30am with the first wave landing just north of Anzac Cove.  The following is a quote of Captain Buchanan’s from an article called “The Landing”: 

“I don’t know what it was, shrapnel, maxim or rifle fire - I was frightened to look, but I was never so frightened in my life as when I had to stand up in the bow to dominate the men (to keep rowing)... I could feel the damned things hitting me all the time in my imagination, while we couldn’t see the other boats for the spouts of spray all around, and the men hit yelped and then whined and clawed the air as they died.”

During the day on the 25th A Section established a Collecting Post for the wounded near Fisherman’s Hut on North Beach.  By the end of the first day the casualties for the 3FA were 2 killed, 18 wounded and 4 missing.  Owen remained on the Gallipoli Peninsula for the entire campaign and was evacuated with all the troops on 23rd December 1915 on HMT Caledonia.  He proceeded to Gabbari Camp at Alexandria, Egypt, and rejoined the unit at Tel-el-Kebir Camp on 26th January 1916.  He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 27th February 1916. 

On 26th March 1916 Owen was one of an advance party of 40 that embarked for France from Alexandria on HTS Maryland.  He disembarked at Marseilles France on 2nd April 1916.  The whole of the 3rd FA entrained from Marseilles the next day and detrained at Godewaersvelde 3 days later.  Owen was promoted to Corporal on the 4th August 1916 and then to Sergeant the next day. 

The Unit moved 3 times in a week in early July arriving at Wargnies on the 12th.  The Unit moved to Berteaucourt in early August and then in late August to La Vicogne where General Birdwood presented Distinguished Conduct Medals to 20 men of the 1st Division, 3 of them from the 3rd Field Ambulance.  The Unit moved a month later to Gezaincourt and then 3 days later entrained for Belgium arriving at Proven on the 27th August.  While here the General Officer Commanding the 1st Australian Division, Major-General H. B. Walker, inspected their Unit.  The Unit arrived at Buire in late October to take over at the 1st Anzac Rest Station.  On the 11th November 1916 the Rest Station when was bombed.  The following is recorded in the Unit Diary:

“At 00.40 this morning an enemy aeroplane flying low, dropped 6 bombs on the 1st Anzac Rest Station.  Five patients were killed outright, thirty three wounded more or less seriously and three slightly.  Of the personnel at this station one was killed, four seriously wounded and one slightly wounded.  All of these belonged to No. 3 Australian Field Ambulance.  One bomb was dropped on the Orderly Room, destroying a number of the records of the station and of the unit.  Damage was done to four marquee tents and eight bell tents.  The distinguishing lamps were burning brightly at the time the attack was made.” 

My grandfather, Cyril Morsley, served with the 3rd Ambulance and also records this event in his diary:

“Was in full swing with Medicals - Taubes overhead and shrapnel bursting all around.  Bombed our camp and at 2 o’clock…poor McNeil was brought in nearly dead - grasped on my arm.  Later Staff Sergeant Bannister came in with fractured femur and buttock blown off.  Sergeant Roy Elliott was killed and 8 others.  Patients many, 36 wounded, I dressed most, some very serious…Corporal Grieves and Baxter.  4 o’clock 2 Germans - 1 Lieutenant & Sergeant Major - walked in and gave up as prisoners, burst of machine gun about 1km away.” 

Owen was one of the 4 seriously wounded.  He was hit in the chest with shrapnel and was admitted to the 38th Casualty Clearing Station (38th CCS) at Heilly.  He was then transported by hospital train to Etaples and admitted to the No 2 Canadian General Hospital at Le Treport.  He was discharged on 29th November 1916 and re-joined his Unit on 12th December 1916 at Bernafay Wood.  He took leave from 31st December 1916 and re-joined his Unit at Warloy on 20th January 1917.  The Unit moved throughout France from Ribemont in January to Buire in June 1917 when Owen took 5 days leave to Paris.  In mid-September 1917 he was detached for temporary duty to 1st Anzac Corps Central Bureau.  He re-joined his Unit at Berthen in mid-November 1917. 

In Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatch on 7th April 1918 Owen was given a special mention.  The Unit moved to the 3rd Brigade Rest Station at L’Etoile in late September 1918 and a month later Owen was granted Special 1914 Leave for return to Australia and embarked from Le Havre on 23rd October 1918 on HMT Durham.  He disembarked in Melbourne on 23rd December 1918 then proceeded to Queensland. 

On 18th January 1919 he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) in recognition of his valuable service in France.  He was discharged on 24th February 1919.  The following is the recommendation for the MSM:

“Recommended for most conscientious and valuable work as Sergeant Clerk during period from 25th February 1918 to night if 16/17th September 1918.  This N.C.O’s work has always been of the highest standard of excellence, and his routine work of furnishing returns and reports and his clerical work generally, have been singularly free from error and inaccuracies thereby conducing to the smooth running of the unit.  Within the last 3 months he has been promoted to the position of Senior Clerk in the Ambulance, discretion in confidential matters and devotion to his work have caused me to single him out for my strong recommendation.” 

Owen was presented his MSM by General Sir H G Chauvel in Toowoomba QLD on 9th December 1919. 

Owen married Annie Kathleen Cusack in Sydney NSW on 22nd April 1922.  They welcomed 3 children…Mary 1923, John 1926 and Bernadette 1931. 

In the 1920s Owen was the Secretary for the following: Toowoomba Technical College, Holy Name Branch of the Hibernian Society and the Toowoomba Clerical Branch Southern Division Railway Appeal Board.  In the 1930s he was Secretary of the Boys on Farms Catholic Church Scheme and in the 1940s he was Secretary of the Catholic Welfare Organisation.    

Owen passed away on 3rd July 1954 in Hamilton, Brisbane, aged 59 and was buried in the Nudgee Cemetery.  He is commemorated on the Toowoomba Roll of Honour and the Qld Railways Employees Roll of Honour. 

Owen Patrick Kenny was awarded for service in WW1 the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Anzac Commemorative Medallion.  

Respectfully submitted by Sue Smith 27th February 2023.