Paul Aloysius Kenna
Paul Aloysius Kenna | |
---|---|
Montagu Arthur Bertie, 7th Earl of Abingdon (father-in-law), Simon Mangan, Patrick Leonard, Nicolas Tindal-Carill-Worsley | |
Other work | Olympic horserider |
Brigadier-General Paul Aloysius Kenna, VC, DSO (16 August 1862 – 30 August 1915) was an English-born British Army officer of Irish descent and recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that could be awarded to British and British Empire forces. He also competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics.[2]
Background
He was the son of James Kenna, of Liverpool, who was descended from a family of minor gentry from County Meath. Kenna was educated at St. Augustine's College[3] in Ramsgate, Stonyhurst College[4] and St. Francis Xavier College in Liverpool - he is honoured in a memorial which can be seen in the main hall of the current college site in Beaconsfield Road, Liverpool and by a plaque and a portrait at Stonyhurst.
Military service and Victoria Cross
After serving in the 4th (
He was 36 years old, serving as a captain in the 21st Lancers during the Mahdist War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC:
- On 2 September 1898, at the
He later served in the
Olympics
He competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics for Great Britain as a horse rider. He did not finish the Individual eventing (Military) competition, also the British team did not finish the team event. In the individual jumping event he finished 27th.[17]
First World War
He was
His Victoria Cross medal is on display in The Royal Lancers and Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum in Thoresby Park, Nottinghamshire.
Family
Kenna married Lady Cecil Bertie, daughter of
His first cousin, Margaret (née) Larkin (granddaughter of his grandfather Patrick Kenna) married Simon Mangan, HM Lieutenant for County Meath. Their grandson was Group Captain Nicolas Tindal-Carill-Worsley.
See also
References
- ^ Davies & Maddocks 2014, p. 80
- ^ "Paul Aloysius Kenna". Olympedia. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "General Paul Kenna, V.c. - from the Tablet Archive". archive.thetablet.co.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ "General Paul Kenna, V.c. • - from the Tablet Archive". archive.thetablet.co.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ "No. 25175". The London Gazette. 8 December 1882. p. 6251.
- ^ "No. 25383". The London Gazette. 1 August 1884. p. 3485.
- ^ "No. 25619". The London Gazette. 24 August 1886. p. 4134.
- ^ Hart's Army list, 1903
- ^ "No. 27490". The London Gazette. 31 October 1902. p. 6897.
- ISBN 1-86126-189-6.
- ^ "No. 27359". The London Gazette. 27 September 1901. p. 6303.
- ^ "No. 27448". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 June 1902. pp. 4191–4192.
- ^ "The Army in South Africa - Troops returning home". The Times. No. 36814. London. 8 July 1902. p. 11.
- ^ "No. 27491". The London Gazette. 4 November 1902. p. 7013.
- ^ "No. 27531". The London Gazette. 3 March 1903. p. 1418.
- ^ Kirby & Walsh 1987, pp. 52, 54.
- ^ "Paul Kenna". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ CWGC entry
- ^ "Olympians Who Were Killed or Missing in Action or Died as a Result of War". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- Lives of the First World War
- ^ Burke, 'Irish Family Records' (1978), Burke's Peerage (2005), see 'The Peerage' site.
Bibliography
- Davies, Frank; Maddocks, Graham (2014) [1995]. Bloody Red Tabs: General Officer Casualties of the Great War 1914–1918. ISBN 978-1-78346-237-7.
- Doherty, Richard; Truesdale, David (2000). Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross.
- Harvey, David (1999). Monuments to Courage.
- Murphy, James (2008). Liverpool VCs. ISBN 978-1844157808.
- The Register of the Victoria Cross. This England. 1997.
- Kirby, Henry L.; Walsh, R. Raymond (1987). The Seven V.C.s of Stonyhurst College. THCL Books. ISBN 0-948494-04-2.