Pte
William Kennett
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 05/12/1892 |
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Place of birth: Coolatai, New South Wales, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Miner |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 2938 |
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Enlistment date: 28/10/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Inverell, New South Wales, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 46th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 01/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Tokio, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 24 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 27 F |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
William Kennett was born in 1892 in Coolatai, New South Wales. He was the son of John Kennett and Mary Ann Mitchell. He had three sisters and two brothers. Before he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force he was a miner, like his father.
He enlisted in October 1916 and joined the 46th Battalion Australian Infantry, part of the 12th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division. The Division participated in the Battle of Polygon Wood, a phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. The attack started on the 26th of September 1917. The advance was to be carried out by the 4th and 13th Brigades of the 4th and the 5th Australian Divisions, while the 46th Battalion remained in reserve. William’s Battalion would not play a major role in the attacks until September 27th, when they moved into the frontline, between Tokio and Jabber House. The Broodseinde Ridge right in front of them.
The Battalion remained there, until the 1st of October 1917. “A” and “C” Companies were positioned in the front line, “D” Company was in close support and “B” Company was in reserve. The right half of the Battalion – near Jabber House - was relieved on the night of September 30th and October 1st. The left half – at Tokio - on the night of October 1st and 2nd of October 1917.
A diary entry from Private N. Pope, from the same Battalion as William, shows that on September 30th, 25 men of “B” Company were killed due to German shelling. On the 1st of October the 46th Battalion was heavily shelled for over two hours.
Twenty-Four year old William Kennett was killed on the 1st of October, while his Battalion held the line near Tokio. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, panel 27F.
He enlisted in October 1916 and joined the 46th Battalion Australian Infantry, part of the 12th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division. The Division participated in the Battle of Polygon Wood, a phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. The attack started on the 26th of September 1917. The advance was to be carried out by the 4th and 13th Brigades of the 4th and the 5th Australian Divisions, while the 46th Battalion remained in reserve. William’s Battalion would not play a major role in the attacks until September 27th, when they moved into the frontline, between Tokio and Jabber House. The Broodseinde Ridge right in front of them.
The Battalion remained there, until the 1st of October 1917. “A” and “C” Companies were positioned in the front line, “D” Company was in close support and “B” Company was in reserve. The right half of the Battalion – near Jabber House - was relieved on the night of September 30th and October 1st. The left half – at Tokio - on the night of October 1st and 2nd of October 1917.
A diary entry from Private N. Pope, from the same Battalion as William, shows that on September 30th, 25 men of “B” Company were killed due to German shelling. On the 1st of October the 46th Battalion was heavily shelled for over two hours.
Twenty-Four year old William Kennett was killed on the 1st of October, while his Battalion held the line near Tokio. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, panel 27F.
Sources 8
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AIF Project https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=163009 Sources used |
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Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search/people?people_preferred_name=kennett&people_service_number=2938&people_unit= Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/924668/kennett,-william/ Sources used |
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Discovering Anzacs https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/person/226430 Sources used |
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Polanski, I.L., "We Were the 46th: the History of the 46th Battalion in the Great War of 1914-1918", Box Hill, Polanksi, 1999, pg. 56-57. Sources used |
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Service Files https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=7363630&isAv=N Sources used |
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Trench Maps https://maps.nls.uk/ww1/trenches/ Sources used |
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War Diary https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1339183 Sources used |