Pte 330175 John Kenny

• Age: 20
• From: Ormskirk, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 22nd March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

John Kenny was born on the 05th February 1897 in Jackson's Bridge, Lydiate, the son of Thomas Kenny and his wife Margaret (nee Crawley), who were married on the 20th September 1891 at St. Marie’s Roman Catholic Church, Lydiate. The family name was KENNEY.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 47 Aughton Street, Ormskirk. His father, Thomas, is aged 40, born 1871 is a miner’s labourer above ground  His wife Ellen Jane is aged 44, born 1867 is a housekeeper and was born in Ormskirk. They erroneously state that  have been married for twenty years, and declare that have had seven children of which two had died. They have a half brother William Hefferon aged 23, born 1888 in Ormskirk and he is also employed as a miner’s labourer above ground. They have four of their children living at home, Mary aged 18, born 1893 is employed as a powder works cartridge filler, John (Jack) aged 14, born 1897 is employed as a farm labourer carter and Austin aged 8, born 1903 is at school and these three children were born in Lydiate. The remaining child at home Margaret Ellen is aged 6, born 1905 in Ormskirk and she is at school. They have four boarders also at the address, Thomas Swords age 43, born 1868 in Ireland and is a peddler of small wares, George Cartledge aged 58 born 1853 is a clog repairer from Ormskirk, Patrick Coogan aged 27 born 1884 in Kilkenny, Ireland is a farm labourer and Thomas Javin aged 22, born 181889 in Ireland is also employed as a farm labourer. 

John enlisted in Ormskirk and was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 330175 when he was killed in action on the 22^nd March 1918 aged 20 during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion diary records the events of the day as follows:

22^nd  GERMAINE – HAM- MOYENCOURT

The battalion moved up accordingly being in position at 6:30 a.m. About 3pm the enemy attacked the left of our position and advanced on our left flank towards FLUQUIERES. At 4:30 pm an attack was launched on our front and the enemy forced his way through on our right. The remainder of the Battalion was forced to retire to south of FLUQUIERES. During this engagement the Battalion lost 11 Officers and About 21 O.R. The order was given to retire to the defences at HAM. The Battalion by this time was very weak, and passing through the 20^th Division took up positions in HAM, as ordered, getting into position at 2am.

John's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France. 

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

Soldiers Effects to father Thomas, Pension record is in the name of KENNEY, to step-mother Ellen. 

We currently have no further information on John Kenny, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.