Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Adelaide born Paul was the elder son of English-born David Kendall and Laura Hull. The family lived in the small town of Myrtle Bank in Unley, with Paul attending nearby Scotch College in Torrens Park. He was both a passionate and talented cricketer. In an era when young people placed huge value on gaining and collecting autographs, during an interstate match against Tasmania in February ’31 the News published a photo of Paul collecting J. Atkinson, the Captain’s signature prior to the match against South Australia. (Atkinson did not score, out for a duck at the hands of Tobin.)
Paul utilised his own cricket skills to capture a win in the May ’34 Scotch College Sports day for throwing a cricket ball a massive 82 yards 2 feet and 6 inches. Over the next two years ’35 and ’36, he was selected to play in the annual cricket and tennis matches between current and old Collegians. In ’35 Paul was also selected in the team to play against the fathers of the student team, taking a creditable two for 14 runs.
Post school, Paul became a Station Hand until just prior to his 21st birthday, when he enlisted to serve in WWII, being allocated the number SX7469. He was placed in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Training in the Adeliade Hills at Woodside followed, before Paul had brief leave, then boarding the Stratheden on the 7th November. On arrival in the Middle East, he was graded Group II Intelligence.
While the troops were overseas, many efforts were made to connect them with family back home, especially at Christmas time. Paul was fortunate in being one of the men able to broadcast a greeting over National Radio Stations A.I.F. Christmas Greetings at this time in ’41.
He was to become one of the highly regarded Rats of Tobruk, an unofficial title that was designed to destroy morale and cause the soldiers to surrender. Ironically, the men seized on the title as a badge of honour.
A year later, Paul experienced increased trauma with his wrist, which became ulcerated and required on-going treatment. Whilst in the Palestine based Australian General Hospital, he won a raffle with the prize being a canvas covered album, decorated with pyramids, boats and palm trees. Over the course of the war, he added countless photos of fellow soldiers and scenes, leaving a unique and precious legacy, which was later donated to the Australian War Memorial.
Again, in October ’42, Paul experienced joint problems with a painful, infected boil on his left hip, resulting in two weeks of hospitalisation. Fortuitously, the battalion was finally heading home via Melbourne in February ‘43
Following leave, the battalion headed to Queensland to train in the tropical conditions they would experience in New Guinea, against a very different enemy. A group portrait of his Number 9 Platoon, A Company was taken, showing the soldiers with whom he served. Later, Paul arrived in Milne Bay in August but continued to experience health issues with his feet and boils on his ankles, promoting a return home in February to recover from malaria and tinea.
Paul met Lenora Bessie Pudney from Rosewater, who was serving in the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service, working in military hospitals home and abroad. Whilst home on leave in July ‘44, he and Lenora (Lonnie) married in the St Margaret Church of England, Woodville before again returning to Morotai in April ’45 and for the final days of the war at Tarakan. Frustrating skin conditions of infected dermatitis on both his arms and ankles, then hookworm infection resulted in more treatment before Paul returned home aged 26, to finally be discharged on the 14th November ’45.
The following year, their daughter Jennifer Jean was born in October ’46. Wendy, David and Robert followed.
Paul’s father, David, lived to see his son return home and enjoy their grandchild. He died on the 27th December ’55, aged 67 and was buried in the Centennial Park Cemetery. Five years later, Paul’s mother died aged 74 in October ’60. Their ashes are together.
Post-war, Paul was appointed to the Taxation Department in South Australia. worked as a clerk for the Public Service in the Department of the Treasury. Taxation, Income Tax, South Australia. Various promotions occurred in the ensuing years resulting in a permanent move to Canberra. By January ’78 Paul was invalided as a clerk from the Department of Industry and Commerce.
Over the years, Paul was actively involved in the RSL. Fierce debate raged in the Canberra newspaper during the Vietnam War, debating the cost of training young men and the role of those returned servicemen from both World Wars to continue to meet and comment on defence. One ex-digger was quick to respond, mentioning Paul;
‘Ever since those halcyon days in the Middle East, when I wondered if I would ever see my widowed mother or my homeland again, I have repeatedly read letters like that of J. A. Ingram He may see another aspect if he visited Concord Repatriation Hospital or had the honour to know, or had been alongside, men like the Joe Courtneys, Wal Fergusons, and Paul Kendalls of the RSL. I am sure he would somehow have avoided the fate others would have suffered.’
73-year-old Paul died in Canberra on the 27th June 1992 of diabetic degeneration. The Canberra Times carried the announcement; Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Monday 29 June 1992, KENDALL. Paul Woreham, 1919-1992. Loving husband of Lenora (Lonnie). Father of Jennifer. Wendy. David and Robert Father-in-law to Torrance. Gary, Geraldine. and Linda. Grandchildren. Virginia. Pippa, Andrew. Paul. Anna, Emily, Jenita. Solina and Rowan.’ Paul’s funeral was conducted in the Norwood Park Crematorium Chapel. He is remembered in the Australian Capital Territory Garden of Remembrance. Lenora lived for a further 12 years and died in Canberra in November, 2004.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes, SX8133 2/48th Battalion