Kenna VC Rest Area
Pheasants Nest, NSW
Hume Motorway (M31)
At a Glance
Victoria Cross Recipient
Private Edward Kenna VC
2/4th Australian Infantry Battalion
Edward 'Ted' Kenna was born in Hamilton, Victoria, on 6 July 1919. He grew up in the Western District wool country and worked as a farm labourer before enlisting in the Second Australian Imperial Force in 1940. He served with the 2/4th Infantry Battalion in campaigns across the Middle East and the Pacific.
On 15 May 1945, during the attack on the Wirui Mission features near Wewak in New Guinea, Kenna's company was pinned down by devastating Japanese machine-gun fire from a heavily fortified bunker. On his own initiative and without orders, Kenna stood up in full view of the enemy, less than fifty yards away, and engaged the bunker with his Bren gun fired from the hip. The enemy machine gun returned fire with such accuracy that bullets passed between his arms and his body, yet he remained completely exposed, continuing to fire until his magazine was exhausted. He then seized a rifle and, with extraordinary coolness, killed the gunner with his first round. His actions enabled his company to take its objective.
Kenna was one of the last Australians to receive the Victoria Cross in the Second World War. After the war he returned to Hamilton and worked for the local council. He was the last living Australian recipient of the original Imperial Victoria Cross for many years before his death in Hamilton on 8 July 2009, two days after his ninetieth birthday.
Born 6 July 1919, Hamilton, VIC. Died 8 July 2009, Hamilton, VIC.
References
Remembrance Driveway
Stop 3 of 20 along the Remembrance Driveway
View all 20 stops
- Sir Roden Cutler VC Rest Area
- Partridge VC Rest Area Southbound
- Kenna VC Rest Area
- Keith Payne VC Rest Area
- Gordon VC Rest Area
- Mackey VC Rest Area
- Kingsbury VC Rest Area
- Chowne VC Rest Area
- Derrick VC Rest Area
- French VC Rest Area
- Kibby VC Rest Area
- Edmondson VC Rest Area
- Gratwick VC Rest Area
- Gurney VC Rest Area
- Badcoe VC Rest Area
- Wheatley VC Rest Area
- Anderson VC Rest Area
- Middleton VC Rest Area
- Newton VC Rest Area
- Edwards VC Rest Area
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Nearby
Campsites(5)
Trails(3)
Attractions(5)
Toilets(3)
Groceries(5)
Fuel(5)
Ampol Foodary Pheasants Nest Northbound
Ampol Foodary · 0.2km
Updated 1h ago
Ampol Foodary Pheasants Nest Southbound
Ampol Foodary · 0.3km
Ampol Tahmoor
Ampol · 7km
Updated 1h ago
BP TAHMOOR
BP · 7.4km
Updated 1h ago
EG Ampol Tahmoor
EG Ampol · 7.8km
Updated 1h ago
Dump Points(3)
Picton Dump Point (locked)
Free · 12.9km
Appin Park
Free · 16.8km
Mittagong Caravan Park Dump Point
$? · 24.7km