Edward McKenna VC (15 February 1827 – 8 June 1908) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

soldier and a recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces.

Victoria Cross

McKenna was 36 years old, and a colour sergeant in the

65th Regiment of Foot The 65th (2nd Yorkshire, North Riding) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1756 as the 2nd Battalion, 12th Regiment of Foot. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment ...

(later the 1st Bn, York and Lancaster Regiment) during the

Invasion of Waikato The Invasion of the Waikato became the largest and most important campaign of the 19th-century New Zealand Wars. Hostilities took place in the North Island of New Zealand between the military forces of the colonial government and a federation ...

, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC:

Later career and life

For this deed he was also commissioned with the rank of ensign. In October 1865 his regiment was recalled to England, but Edward had grown attached to the colony, he sold his commission and remained. He joined the New Zealand Railways as a clerk and soon rose to be Station Master at Kaiapoi, Ashburton,

Invercargill Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of t ...

Gore Gore may refer to: Places Australia * Gore, Queensland * Gore Creek (New South Wales) * Gore Island (Queensland) Canada * Gore, Nova Scotia, a rural community * Gore, Quebec, a township municipality * Gore Bay, Ontario, a township on Manitouli ...

Greatford Greatford is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated west from the A15, north-east from Stamford, and south from Bourne. Greatford is noted for Greatford Hall, once the home of ...

Halcombe Halcombe is a small settlement in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of the North Island, New Zealand. It is situated 13 km north west of Feilding and 4 km east of the Rangitikei River, between State Highway 1 and State Highway 54. Hal ...

and in the early 1880s

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

. He eventually retired to Palmerston North where he later died. He is buried at Terrace End Cemetery, Palmerston North in Presbyterian Block II, plot 65. His headstone reads: Edward McKenna, V.C. late ensign, 65th Reg, also N.Z.R., died 8 June 1908 aged 79; also Elizabeth Gordon, wife of the above. R.I.P.

The medal

His Medal is displayed in the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The archives also contain his gun and uniform.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKenna, Edward 1827 births 1908 deaths York and Lancaster Regiment soldiers 65th Regiment of Foot officers British recipients of the Victoria Cross British military personnel of the New Zealand Wars New Zealand Wars recipients of the Victoria Cross English emigrants to New Zealand British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Leeds