John Kenndy's story: My father John Kennedy joined up as John Fahey with the Leinster Reigment (no. 121176). He was transferred to the Royal Engineers. He used his mother's maiden name because he and his brother could not enlist with the same regiment together. He served in Ypres, was gassed and was given an invalidity pension after this. His index card shows the vistory medal and other medals were forfeited. This may have related to the fact that he signed up with his brother, and was ultimately found out, but we are not sure. I have also provided his discharge papers for the early Irish Free State army. He had been part of the Irish military police - many former soldiers had been drafted in by the government - between 1922 and 1924. He eventually went into pump-sinking, the family business. Charles Kennedy's story: I have also provided items relating to my uncle, Charles Kennedy, brother of John. Charles was born in Ballybrophy, Queen's County c. 1888. We don't know when he joined the army, but he was a career soldier. He had been in Templemore prior to First World War and also fought in the Boer War. He had been a pump sinker, and so joined the army as an engineer (no. 16677). He was sent to France on 3 September 1915 and was wounded. He ended up in Thessalonika/Salonika. I have had heard in the family that he had been in the Dardenelles and was sent to rest up, then was sent on to Thessalonika. He was killed in action during the Salonika campaign on 17 July 1917. He was reinterned to Karasouli Military Cemetery in Thessalonika. I have provided his Widow's Penny and photographs if Karasouli cenetry, including his grave. || Widow's Penny belonging to Charles Kennedy.

Two photographs || RAMC Red Barracks Nothe Fort Weymouth and WW1 France A short history of what I have found out about Granddad Kennedy i.e. Hugh Joseph Kennedys’ military history. He was a regular soldier, signed up for 18 years. He was in the Army in 1910 stationed then at Red Barracks, Nothe Fort, which is in Dorset, Portland/Weymouth but I don’t have the date he joined although in his wedding photo 1910 he is already a sergeant denoted by his stripes, so may have been C.1900 When war was declared he was sent as part of the British Expeditionary Force – BEF - and posted to No1 Stationary hospital on 15th August 1914 (possibly with number 14 Company RAMC). Arriving in Le Hauvre 18th August he joined No.1 station on the 20th August. His unit was at Le Mans until Oct 1914, then Rouen where it stayed until March 1919, St Etienne du Rouvrary Champ de Course,s Rue de Madrillet, Grandfather was a ward sergeant until he was promoted to a Warrant Officer class one (equivalent to a Matron/bed manager) His Army number was Number 17485 The medals he received are 1914 Star, British war Medal, Victory Medal, Long service and good conduct medal, and Meritorious service medal. He was an old contemptible which denotes he was sent to France at the beginning of the 1st World War when the very small regular army was made up of highly professional soldiers before conscription began properly, and the German Kaiser called them a ‘contemptible little army’. It is likely he signed up in 1900/1901 aged 15/17 then worked to become a sergeant, which could take possibly ten years?, then he married in 1910 as a sergeant) He was sent to France August 1914 eventually becoming a Warrant Officer. He received an extra payment of £50-52 pounds a year as well as a pension. I have no concrete date of birth for him but would be C1883/6 as he was recorded as aged 26yrs at his marriage and 74yrs on his death. Written up Sunday, 23 March 2014 following medals being mounted Lynne Smith nee Kennedy Granddaughter

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