sgt 344 frank kennedy 1/5th manchesters

[mack]

sgt kennedy and D.coy were in the front lines at Clapham junction Gallipoli in july 1915,pte 1745 William barlow who was a friend and work mate of sgt kennedy was with him,sgt kennedy and pte barlow worked at the same coal mine back in Tyldesley,pte barlow being his drawer,on 10th july pte barlow was killed by a HE shell,the following day[11th july] they had been relieved and had arrived in the support trenches to be met by a enthusiastic group who were welcoming back pte 1508 Charles clements,pte clements who had been wounded in the foot on 4th june was a pal and neighbour of sgt kennedy,within minutes of arriving,pte clements was killed by a HE shell,the following day[12th july]CSM 337 john Thomas Fairhurst,a fellow 1st volunteer battalion pal was going about his duties when he was hit in both knees by a HE shell.the following day sgt kennedy was appointed acting CSM in his place.
two friends dead and one badly wounded,this was just three days in the life of sgt kennedy at gallipol

fairhurst was a miner and was part of the mine rescue team in civilian life and lived at the mine rescue station at denton
pte clements a miner at the chantlers pit for fletcher,burrows,reside 7 elm st Tyldesley.
pte barlow a miner/drawer resided 2 Samuel st,hindesford

[FuManchu18]

Very interesting! Can I ask where your information comes from? (Did Sgt. Kennedy keep a diary or similar?) I'm researching the 1/5th Manchesters specifically and am always on the lookout for first hand sources.

[mack]

hiya fu
this report was put together by me from info from newspapers,ime not aware of any diaries that sgt kennedy had

do you have any names that you want checking

mack

[FuManchu18]

Thanks for confirming - I thought it was worth checking anyway!

My particular interest is in the Fletcher family of Fletcher Burrows - I have plenty of information about the four of them who served in the 5th Manchesters, but I keep a lookout for new diaries/letters, as references to them often crop up in contemporary sources (as they were in many cases both the wartime officers and the peacetime employers of the men in the Battalion, as here for Pte. Clements).