Dear Mr Gregory
Being interested in VC winners I was recently asked to find out what I could about Captain Kennedy of the 'Rawalpindi', and was led to your excellent web site. (see "Allied Armed Merchant Cruisers of WW2" now corrected)
However on checking the VC list I found no Captain Kennedy, but did find him on the CWGC site which states that he died on 23rd November 1939, with no mention of a VC.
Regards
Clive Gilbert
Clive,
Thank you for your kind remarks about AHOY, a joint effort with my web master and friend Terry Kearns in Atlanta Georgia. He turns my writing and research into what appears on our site.
Now about Captain E C Kennedy and HMS Rawalpindi, although I have seen a number of accounts crediting him with a posthumious VC, it would seem I am wrong in saying he was so awarded, it looks like a posthumous Mentioned in Despatches, is what I should use, and I have asked Terry to amend AHOY accordingly. I too could not find Captain Kennedy listed in the VC winners.
It seems a different approach was taken with Fegan in Jervis Bay, to that of Kennedy in Rawalpindi, although both actions had a common thread.
In another E-Mail I will send you a description of the building of Rawalpindi, and a comment on Kennedy's award.
Thank you for your interest.
I do strive for accuracy on AHOY, but do not always succeed, merely proving my fallability at times.
Best regards,
Mac. Gregory.
Hi Mac.
I did a little digging on Capt. E. C. Kennedy of the Rawalpindi. The following three articles in The Times may be of interest (I'll leave them there for a day or two).
28 Nov 1939, Rawalpindi Sunk By Deutschland
http://tinyurl.com/pdsuz
01 Dec 1939, Obituary Captain E. C. Kennedy
http://tinyurl.com/lauky
23 Apr 1941, Heroic Captain of the Rawalpindi, Memorial Table Unveiled
http://tinyurl.com/pa7zm
It's curious that they report Deutschland as one of the ships that sank the Rawalpindi.
Searching the Online Gazette for his full name, Edward Coverley Kennedy, brings up three hits: his promotion to Lieutenant 8 Nov 1900, his receiving the French Legion of Honour (Croix de Chevalier) 15 Sep 1916 "for services during the war" and, on 9 Jul 1940, mention in Despatches (Posthumous) for his action in H.M.S. Rawalpindi.
I notice he was 60 and retired when he volunteered for service in WW2.
Best regards on this Anzac day.
Martin Elliget
Fig Tree Pocket QLD Australia
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