Also Served: William Kennedy - William KENNEDY
Scotchbarn Lane, Prescot Pte 2790, 5th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment (Later 240818)
William Kennedy was a native of Manchester, born around 1882. He married Vanda Parry on Warrington on 1901 and in the 1911 census, they are living with Vanda’s widowed father, Peter, in Wilson Street, Warrington. William’s occupation is listed as “Wire Drawer”, and so I assume that at some point after 1911, the family moved to Prescot for William to work at BICC.
His army service number of 2790 was issued on 12th September 1915, and William then sailed for France with the Battalion on 13th February 1915.
For details of some of the actions in which William will have been involved, see the entry for James Pickavance, whose number (2787) suggests that he enlisted at the same time as Pte Kennedy.
It is known that he lived in Scotchbarn Lane because a letter from William was published in the Prescot Reporter on 2nd July 1915.
In the Territorial renumbering of March 1917, William was renumbered to 240818. The narrative for Joseph Donnelly who also probably enlisted at the same time as William and was renumbered at the same time will also give a useful indication of William’s service.
On 4th September 1917, William was discharged from the army as he was no longer physically fit enough for military service, perhaps due to wounds received.
He was entitled to the 1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and Silver War Badge.
|
