Kenny, Michael

Michael William Thomas Kenny - HMAS Melbourne

Michael (Mick) William Thomas Kenny was born in North Fremantle WA on the 17th January 1897 to William and Lydia Kenny. He had a few siblings, Arthur (1900), William (1905), Gladys (1915) and Hazel (1921).

Michael was educated at North Fremantle Primary school and during this time also served in the Naval Cadets. In 1913 he began a Fitter and Turner apprenticeship at the State Implement Works in North Fremantle.

Mick also joined the Royal Australian Naval Reserve in 1911 but in 1915 signed up for full time service with the Royal Australian Navy. From March to November 1915 Mick was training at HMAS Cerberus. This was the Royal Australian Navy training base located in Victoria. His rank during this training was Stoker II.

In November 1915 Mick was transferred to the London Depot of the Royal Australian Navy. He was stationed there until the 14th January 1916. He was then taken on strength of the crew of HMAS Melbourne.

During a break in his training period as a Stoker, Mick (pictured bottom row centre) sent the below photo to his family and wrote, 'What price my white smile?'

In March 1916 Mick was promoted to the rank of Stoker and served on HMAS Melbourne for the remainder of the war. According the Royal Australian Navy website, when Mick joined the ship, HMAS Melbourne, was part of

the North America and West Indies Squadron, maintaining a series of patrols in the West Indies with Jamaica as the centre point; and off Long Island and the entrance to New York Harbour with Halifax as the base. Squadron Headquarters were at Bermuda. Melbourne operated north to Halifax and south to the Para River, Brazil, taking in the Gulf of Mexico.

At the close of August 1916 Melbourne detached from the North America and West Indies Stations and proceeded for Devonport, where it arrived on 7 September. Following a month in port it departed for Scapa Flow, to become a unit of the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron and part of the Grand Fleet.

A brief period of routine North Sea patrols ended in January 1917 when serious engine trouble forced it into dock at Birkenhead. It remained in dockyard hands until the end of June 1917.

On 27 June 1917 Melbourne sailed from Birkenhead to rejoin the Grand Fleet at Scapa and again became a unit of the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron. The remainder of the war period was spent on routine patrols and fleet exercises in northern waters. It returned to Portsmouth on 30 November 1918. Melbourne took no part in any action at sea and suffered no casualties...On 7 March 1919 Melbourne's service in the European theatre ended when it departed Devonport for Australia, finally entering Sydney Harbour on 21 May 1919 after a leisurely cruise via Suez, Singapore and Darwin.

On the 6th August 1919 Mick left HMAS Melbourne and was transferred to HMAS Australia. This service on HMAS Australia was just for a few months when the ship was in Australian waters. Mick was then returned to HMAS Cerberus on the 15th January 1920. Mick was then discharged from the Royal Australian Navy on the 12th March 1920.

He then returned home and took up a career as a mechanic and then as motor car/Truck driver for Soap Distributors Ltd in North Fremantle. During this time he was living in Thompson Road North Fremantle.

In 1930 Mick married Philomena May Mayger in Guildford but they soon returned to live in South Fremantle, residing at 173 Hampton Road South Fremantle.  They had two children, Maureen in 1932 and Terence in 1936.

In World War Two Mick offered his services again, this time to the Royal Australian Air Force. (81378) He enlisted in 1942 and served through to 1949. His main role was a mechanic/Fitter on airplanes at Pearce Air Force Base.

Michael William Thomas Kenny died in White Gum Valley on the 10th July 1974 aged 76. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Roman Catholic Lawn D 0102.