William Hew Clark-Kennedy, (3 March 1879 – 25 October 1961) was a British-born Canadian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, 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.

Family

William Clark-Kennedy was born on 3 March 1879 at Dunskey House, near

Portpatrick Portpatrick is a village and civil parish in the historical county of Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is located on the west coast of the Rhins of Galloway. The parish is about in length and in breadth, covering . History ...

on the Scottish Rhins of Galloway. His mother was Lettice Lucy Hewitt (c. 1853–1930), a daughter of the Fourth Viscount of Lifford. His father was Captain Alexander William Maxwell Clark-Kennedy ( Irish Guards) of Knockgray, Galloway (-1894).

Victoria Cross

William Clark-Kennedy was 39 years old, and a

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

commanding the 24th Battalion (Victoria Rifles of Canada),

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...

, during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 27/28 August 1918 on the Fresnes- Rouvroy line, France, the brigade of which Lieutenant Colonel Clark-Kennedy's battalion was a central unit suffered heavy casualties. At this juncture the colonel encouraged his men and led them forward, then by controlling the direction of neighbouring units and collecting stragglers he enabled the whole brigade front to advance. Next day he was severely wounded, but despite intense pain and loss of blood, he refused to be evacuated until he had gained a position from which the advance could be resumed. Clark-Kennedy is buried at

Mount Royal Cemetery Opened in 1852, Mount Royal Cemetery is a terraced cemetery on the north slope of Mount Royal in the borough of Outremont in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Temple Emanu-El Cemetery, a Reform Judaism burial ground, is within the Mount Royal grounds. Th ...

, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Pine Hill Section, Reford Family Plot, Lot 258).

Freemasonry

He was Initiated into Freemasonry in St Paul's Lodge, No. 12, ( Montreal, Canada) on 6 February, Passed on 10 April and Raised 8 May 1906.The Great War 1914-1918 Victoria Cross Freemasons. Granville Angell. 2014. Pp.115-117.

References

External links

William Hew Clark-Kennedy digitized service file

Legion Magazine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark-Kennedy, William Canadian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross 1879 births 1961 deaths People educated at Westminster School, London Canadian Expeditionary Force officers Scottish emigrants to Canada British Army personnel of the Second Boer War People from Dumfries and Galloway Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) British colonial army officers Burials at Mount Royal Cemetery Scottish military personnel Canadian military personnel of World War I