Trafford

Born at 39 Boardman Street, Eccles on the 5th January 1891, the birth being
registered during the March quarter 1891 in the Barton upon Irwell R.D. -
ref: 8c/693, the eldest child of William Henry & Elizabeth (Lily) Kenyon.

1891 Census - 39 Boardman Street, Eccles.   Son - aged: 3 months - born:
Eccles, Salford.   Head of household - William H. Kenyon - Married - aged:
32 - occ: Traveller for Furnishing Mill - born: Salford.   Also - Lily
Kenyon - Wife - aged: 25 - born: Birkenhead, Cheshire. 

1901 Census - 134 Derbyshire Lane, Stretford.   Son - aged: 10 - born:
Eccles.   Head of household - William H. Kenyon - Married - aged: 42 - occ:
Dealer in Works Store - born: Salford.   Also - Elizabeth Kenyon - Wife -
aged: 34 - born: Birkenhead, Cheshire.   Plus 3 younger sisters and 1
domestic servant.

Educated at Giggleswick College, Settle, Yorkshire.    Employed as a
Commercial Traveller.  

1911 Census - "Stoneycroft", Broad Lane, Hale.   Son - aged: 20 - occ:
Engineers Stores Clerk - born: Eccles.  Head of household - William H.
Kenyon - Married - aged: 52 - occ: Dealer in Works Store - born: Salford.  
Also - Elizabeth Kenyon - Wife - aged: 42 - born: Birkenhead, Cheshire.
Plus 3 younger sisters and 1 domestic servant.

WO374 - He enlisted on the 11th February 1913 into the 7th Battalion,
Cheshire Rgt and given the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.  His character reference
was supplied by J.R. Brunshll, the vicar of St. Peter's P.C., Hale. He was
5 feet 10 inches in height.   Appointed Temporary Captain on the 23rd April
1915.

Whilst serving in Gallipoli, he was wounded (bullet wound to the head) and
was suffering from Dysentery, Jaundice and Typhoid.  He returned to
Alexandria for treatment and in November 1915 was put before the Medical
Board at No. 17 General Hospital, Alexandria.  Their observations were:-
"He is suffering from debility the result of Paratyphoid Fever and
recommended that he be transferred to the United Kingdom for further
treatment."  He was certified as being unfit and will be so for 2 months.

He returned to England on the 17th November 1915 aboard the Hospital Ship
"H.S. Neuralia", arriving at Southampton on the 27th November 1915.  He was
handed to the 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester.  He was regularly
examined by various Medical Boards each under the heading Dysentery and
Paratyphoid A. as follows:-

16th December 1915.  2nd Western General Hospital, Whitworth Street,
Manchester.   "Now bacterialogically free from infection, but is still weak
and has lost much flesh."
17th January 1916.  2nd Western General Hospital, Whitworth Street,
Manchester.   "He has gained strength since the last board was held but has
just had a an attack of Influenza.  His pulse is 112 and he still gets
palpitations on ascending a hill."
8th February 1916.  2nd Western General Hospital, Whitworth Street,
Manchester.   "He is better than he was, but still has a somewhat feeble
pulse and says he has Dyspnoea on exertion."
13th February 1916.  Bungay, Suffolk.  Reported as suffering from D.A.H.
(Disorderly Action of the Heart). "Palpitation is quickly caused by any
exertion - pulse 90 when quiet.  He can march 5 miles without a pack."
22nd February 1916.   Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, Shropshire.    "He is much
better; has very little diarrhea and is taking ordinary diet."
27th March 1916.  The R.M. College , Camberley.   "He suffers from
occasional diarrhea, Dyspnoea on exertion is still marked.  His pulse is
110."
27th April 1916.   Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, Shropshire.  "He has rapid
action of the heart - pulse 120 standing.   Cardiac sounds normal, he still
gets tired on exertion, but is steadily improving.”
30th May 1916.   Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, Shropshire.   Reported as having
Dysentery and Paratyphoid A.   "Rapid action of the heart continues - pulse
120 standing.  Smokes too many cigarettes."
30th June 1916.   Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, Shropshire.  "Rapid action of
the heart continues - pulse 116 standing, 92 sitting.   Has reduced
cigarette smoking to 10 per day.  He feels stronger than last month."
31st July 1916.   Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, Shropshire. "The heart action
is still rapid, pulse standing 130, sitting 96."
31st August 1916.   Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, Shropshire. "The heart is
dilated - pulse 116."
3rd October 1916.   Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, Shropshire. "The heart is
still dilated, but his pulse action is diminished.  He feels decidedly
better."
11th November 1916.  Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, Shropshire. "The heart is in
much the same condition, but his general health has improved."
12th December 1916.   Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, Shropshire. "The heart is
still dilated - pulse 118."
13th March 1917.   Bungay, Suffolk.  "He is much improved and can do
everything except doubling.   He had Dysentery, Jaundice and Enteric Fever
(Typhoid) at Gallipoli following a bullet wound to his scalp.  He was given
one month more leave, after which they considered him fit to return to
"Home Service".
11th April 1917.  Bungay, Suffolk.  "His heart is acting quite well, but
states that it palpitates after exertion.  He has been instructed to return
to his unit for duty.

Probate was awarded to his father - William Douglas Kenyon, Holmfield,
Alderley Edge by the Principal Registry Office (London) on the 17th May
1919.  His Estate was valued at £651. 17s. 2d.

MIC - states that he was a Captain in the 7th Bn. Cheshire Rgt and later
the 6th Bn.  It also states that he was posted to Gallipoli in July 1915
and awarded the 15 Star, the BWM & the VM.

The 7th Bn, Cheshire Rgt left Bedford in July 1915, part of the 159th
Brigade, 53rd Welsh Division.  They sailed from Davenport to Alexandria,
Egypt, then to Port Said for 6 days.  They arrived at Mudros on the 4th
August and to Gallipoli on the 8th, landing at 'C' Beach Sulva.   Having
survived the terrible conditions at Gallipoli, the Bn returned to 'C' Beach
from where the embarked on the Ermine on the 12th December and sailed to
Mudros on the 13th.

It is not know when he went to France (probably late 1917), but just prior
to the time of his death, the 6th Battalion, Cheshire Rgt was reserve
billets at Kemmel Hill, near Ypres.  They took over support positions at
"Daylight Corner" on the 14th September 1918.  They moved into the front
line near Wulveghem on the 14th, replacing the 2/23rd Bn. London Rgt and
the 7th Bn, Royal Irish Regiment on the 15th.  The next day, the enemy
continued to shell the positions in support of a patrol which, in the
evening, tried to bomb one of the Cheshire’s posts during the day.

MI - "He was a man take him for all in all shall not look upon his like
again"    A quote from William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Hamlet  Act 1,
Scene 2.

From the website of St. Mary's PC, Alderley - see
http://www.stmarysalderley.com/ww1-2/roll-of-honour/william-kenyon/

In 1917, Katherine, one of Williams' sisters was married at St.Mary's,
Alderley and by this date the family were living at Homefield, Alderley
Edge.   His death had a great effect on his father who sank into a
depression and he eventually left his wife and three daughters.  William
senior was a very wealthy man who made his fortune in the Manchester area
in the wholesale ironmongery business.

Commemorated on St. Mary's P.C. Nether Alderley War Memorial & RoH.  One of
three TWD commemorated on those memorials. (See under Altrincham
Memorials).