Lt Col C W Kennedy DSO OBE MC
Commanding Officer - The East Surrey Regiment (The Worcestershire Regiment)
Commanded the 31st Primary Training Centre at Kingston upon Thames from 26th November 1946 to 1st May 1948 (the whole of its existence).
Geoffrey Walsham Kennedy known as 'Bart' was born on 13th August 1895 and educated at Tonbridge. He was commissioned in The East Surrey Regiment- in February 1915 and served in France, Belgium and Italy in the 1914-18 War. He was a platoon commander with the 1st Battalion at Hill 60 in April 1916 when he was severely wounded.
He returned to the Battalion to command a company and was again wounded. He was Mentioned in Despatches in 1917 and awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in 1918. He served in North Russia in 1919. Between the wars he served in the 1st Battalion and had a period of duty as adjutant. In 1939 he went to France with the Battalion as second-in-command. In March 1940 he was appointed to command 4th Bn The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He was wounded in the defence of Cassel and taken prisoner.
He was awarded the DSO for his fine leadership of the Battalion. When he recovered from his wounds he was appointed Senior British Officer of a Prisoner of War Camp and for his fortitude and maintenance of morale was made an OBE. After the war he commanded the Primary Training Centre at Kingston. He was a very courageous man and one of the-most respected and liked officers in the Regiment. He retired from the Army on 16th September 1948.
He died on 19th March 1984 aged 89 years.
For obituary see The Queen's Royal Surrey Regimental Association Newsletter No.35 May 1984 page 15.
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