Military History

The 11th Bn. was one of the first West Australian Regiments raised in Western Australian and with the 9th, 10th and 12th Battalions formed the 3rd Brigade. The 11th Battalion trained for 10 weekends at Blackboy Hill.
Embarked Fremantle per HMAT ‘Ascanius’ A11 for Egypt 2.11.1914.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit ‘E’ Coy, 11th Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade.
Kennedy disembarked in Egypt with ‘E’ Coy 11th Battalion. The 11th Battalion. underwent 4 months of intensive training in Egypt and then entrained to Alexandria. They joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF) and embarked per HMT ‘Suffolk’ for Lemnos where they transferred to HMS ‘London’ for the Gallipoli Peninsula 2.3.1915. Kennedy was wounded in action with a gunshot wound to his leg 6.7.1915. He was taken to the Casualty Clearing Station at ANZAC and transferred by HMS ‘Clacton’ to Mudros 7.7.1915. He was transferred to 1st Australian Stationary Hospital at Lemnos then transferred by HMS ‘Clan MacGillvray’ to Malta 13.7.1915. Kennedy, on discharge from hospital was deemed fit for active service and rejoined his Unit in Dardanelles 20.7.1915. He was hospitalised with chronic diarrhoea 19.9.1915, transferred to Mena Hospital in Cairo 5.10.1915 and then moved to Alexandria with Phimosis 20.10.1915. He was discharged to duty 4.12.1915, at a period when Australian troops were being evacuated from the Gallipoli Peninsula. He rejoined his unit at Tel-el-Kebir 8.1.1916. Kennedy was hospitalized with a fractured rib  15.1.1916 and admitted to the 2nd Aust. General Hospital at Pyrezia. He rejoined his Unit 11.3.1916, shortly before they entrained for Alexandria, joined the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and embarked per HMT ’Corsican’ for France 29.3.1916. They disembarked at Marseilles, France 5.4.1916. Kennedy’s Battalion fought at Fleurbaix and Pozieres. Kennedy was wounded in action (2nd time) during fierce fighting at Pozieres, he received a gunshot wound to his right thigh 27.7.1916. The 11th Battalion sustained losses of almost 530 men killed or injured in this campaign (Gill. 2004). He was transferred by HMS ‘Marama’ to England as an invalid 29.7.1916 and admitted to the 3rd General Hospital at Newport. Kennedy was discharged to Perham Downs 20.9.1916. He went Absent Without Leave (AWOL) for 11 days and was awarded 167 hours detention 15.1.1917 and sent to the 69th Draft Battalion. He proceeded overseas to France 19.10.1917.and rejoined his unit 13.10.1917. Kennedy was admitted to Hospital with Trench Feet and transferred to Graylingwell War Hospital at Chichester, England 3.1.1918. On recovery, he proceeded overseas to France to rejoin his Unit 6.4.1918. He rejoined his Battalion in Field 5.4.1918 at Amiens; they also fought in the defence of Hazebrouck from mid-April 1918. Kennedy was KIA in France 28.4.1918. His remains were re-interred 7.7.1919, to Meteren Military Cemetery, Meteren, Nord de Pas Calais, France (10 1/2 Miles SW of Ypres)
Final Rank Private.
Medical Condition Deceased, KIA.
Awards and Medals 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes Brother William Murray Stewart Kennedy (SN 314) KIA. Kennedy resided in James St. Guildford, possibly at 'Myrtle Lodge' 57 James St. Guildford. This  Lodge was used by men prior to enlistment or during training in Guildford. The building is no longer standing. Kennedy's brother came out to Guildford to work asa stone mason on the Guildford Grammar School Chapel. Kennedy may have been labouring on this same work.
AWM Embarkation Roll listed as Kennedy, Andrew Ridden.
Photos Pte. William M.S. Kennedy. Photograph source The Sun Kagoorlie 24.9.1916 p 6
           HMAT 'Ascanius' 1914. Photographer E.L. Mitchell, photograph source AWM H16157
              Stretcher bearers at Gallipoli. Photograph source Western Mail 25 12 1915 p1
              Ruined town of Hazebrouck. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM  E01129
              Meteren Military Cemetery  Nord de Pas, Calais. Photographer unknown, photograph source CWGC

Information Source
AWM H16157. HMAT 'Ascanius' 1914. Photographer E.L. Mitchell, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E01129. Ruined town of Hazebrouck. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll Andrew Ridell Kennedy
AWM Roll of Honour- Andrew Riddell Kennedy
CWGC. Meteren Military Cemetery, Nord de Pas, Calais. Photgrapher unknown, photograph source Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Gill, Ian (2004). Fremantle to France: 11th Battalion A.I.F. 1914–1919 (2nd edn.). Myaree, Western Australia: Advance Press.
Guildford War Memorial
NAA: B2455, Kennedy Andrew Riddell
St Matthew’s Honour Roll
St Matthew’s Fallen
Western Mail




James Street Guildford. WA.

Associated Images