Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Albert Kenney, a stone quarry worker, born 1856 in Cosby, Leicestershire and his wife Ann Kenney (nee Bingley, married in the 1st quarter of 1878 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district), born 1859 in Cosby, Leicestershire. James Albert was a schoolboy and was born in the 2nd quarter of 1887 in Cosby, Leicestershire, his siblings were, Joseph, a shoe trade riveter, born in the 3rd quarter of 1878, Lucy Elizabeth, a shoe trade worker, born 1879, Mary, a schoolgirl, born 1881, Ada, a schoolgirl, born 1885 and Ernest who was born in the 1st quarter of 1890, all his siblings were born in Cosby, Leicestershire, in April 1891 the family home was at South View, Cosby, Leicestershire. In March 1901 James was employed as a shoe trade riveter and was residing in the family home at New Grounds, Cosby, Leicestershire, together with his father a stone quarry worker, his mother and siblings, Joseph, a boot trade machine laster, Lucy, a shoe trade machinist, Mary, a shoe trade fitter, Ada, a hosiery trade winder, Ernest, Walter, born 1892, Fred, born 1894 and Herbert, born 1901, the latter three siblings were all born in Cosby, Leicestershire. In April 1911 James was absent from the family home in Cosby, Leicestershire, residing there was his father, a carpenter, his mother and siblings, Ernest, a shoe trade clicker, Walter, a shoe trade press room sorter, Fred, a shoe trade heel builder and Herbert, a schoolboy, James was serving as a Private with the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and was stationed in Fort Saint George, Madras, India. His elder brother Joseph, died of wounds received in action, and his younger brother Ernest fell in action. James attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement of 9 years with the Colours and 3 years with the Reserve on the 13th November 1905 in Leicester. He gave his place of birth as Cosby, Leicestershire, and his age as 18 years and 6 months, he gave his trade or calling as shoe hand. He confirmed that he was unmarried. He also stated that he was currently serving with the 1st Volunteer Battalion Leicestershire Regiment (Militia). He gave his father Albert, his mother Ann, brothers, Ernest, Walter, Fred and Herbert and sisters, Lizzy, Mary and Ada all of New Estate, Cosby, Leicestershire as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 3¾ inches in height, he weighed 109 pounds. His complexion was described as fresh, his hair colour was brown and he had grey eyes. He gave his religion as Church of England. He was pronounced fit for Army service. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 7824 on the 15/11/05. Transferred to the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 6/3/06. Granted Messing Alowance on the 15/5/06. Posted to the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment at Shorncliffe on the 21/9/06. Granted Service Pay Class 2 on the 12/2/07. Posted to the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the -/11/07. Awarded 1st Good Conduct Badge without pay on the 13/11/07. Stationed in Madras, India on the 18/2/11. Appointed Lance Corporal unpaid on the 17/10/11. Appointed Lance Corporal paid vice Swain on the 21/5/12. Stationed in Ranikhet, India on the 18/3/13 – 20/10/13. Promoted Corporal vice Langdale on the 19/12/13. Stationed in Bareilly, India on the 24/10/13 – 28/2/14. Stationed in Ranikhet, India on the 2/3/14 – 24/3/14. Stationed in Delhi, India on the 28/3/14. Embarked from Karachi to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 16/9/14. Disembarked in Marseilles, France on the 12/10/14. Admitted to 19th Brigade Field Ambulance on the 4/12/14. Discharged to duty from the 4th General Hospital in Lillers on the 12/12/14. Reported missing in action in the field after operations on the 19/12/14. Later reported for official purposes as having been killed in action on or since the 19/12/14. His record of service shows: Home Service 13/11/05 – 5/11/07, 1 year 358 days. India, 6/11/07 – 19/9/14, 6 years 318 days. Voyage to France, 20/9/14 – 11/10/14, 22 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 12/10/14 – 19/12/14, 69 days. Total Service 9 years 37 days. The following information was provided by James’ father Albert on the 12th April 1919, and was witnessed and signed by -?-, a Clerk in Holy Orders of Cosby Vicarage, Leicestershire on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) Father of soldier, Albert Kenney of Portland Street, Cosby, Leicestershire. Mother of soldier, Ann Kenney of Portland Street, Cosby, Leicestershire. Full blood brothers of soldier, Walter Kenney, age 27 of Enderby, Leicestershire, Fred Kenney, age 24 of Cosby, Leicestershire, Herbert Kenney, age 18 of Cosby, Leicestershire. Full blood sisters of soldier, Lucy Elizabeth Hall, age 39 of Cosby, Leicestershire, Mary Harris, age 38 of Cosby, Leicestershire, Ada Root, age 35 of Blaby, Leicestershire. James was awarded the 1914 Star, British and Victory Medals. James’ surviving service documents are in a very poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary for today records. A bombing party proceeded to the barricade up the ditch leading to the enemy and relieved the 6th JATS. One Coy was to deploy from the ditch out to the right outside the wire in front of our parapet and lie down. Another Coy was to do the same on the left. As soon as the advance commenced, the remaining two company’s were to do the same (one on each side of the ditch) and advance in support. At 3.15am the deployment was completed in absolute silence and at 3.30am the advance commenced. The companies had three platoons in the front line and one in support, the latter accompanied by a bombing party. As soon as the parties came up in line with the bombing party in the ditch, the latter jumped over the barricade, cut the wire, advanced to enemy’s barricade and bombed it. The left Coy had hardly gone twenty yards when a Maxim opened on their right, 20 more yards and they were stopped by a hedge with barbed wire in the ditch. This caused a few minutes delay. They got through and immediately a second Maxim opened. The Coy then entered the trench under the fire of the two Maxims and captured it and the guns. Only one German was found in it, the rest having escaped during the delay at the hedge and ditch. This trench was very deep and narrow and about 60 yards long. The officer commanding the Coy (Capt ROMILLY) concluded that there must be another trench in the rear. He accordingly got his men out of the trench and lined them up for a second advance. A Maxim gun immediately opened on his right, and another behind this one and to his left. He determined to go for the latter and advanced on it and got into the ditch in which it had been only to find it empty. The Coy was now behind the Maxim that had opened on the right and Capt ROMILLY reformed his Coy to attack this. At this moment our batteries opened fire and shells commenced bursting over his Coy and the enemy’s trenches. Capt ROMILLY thinking he had gone too far decided to return to the 1st German trench he had taken. This he found occupied by the supporting Coy, dawn was now breaking so this trench was put into a state of defence, and the natural ditch in front of it for a distance of some 200 yards. The Coy on the right in its advance missed the first German trench, as it hove too much to its right. On passing this trench it was met by heavy Maxim and rifle fire, but they rushed forward and captured the trenches about 100 yards in length. This trench hove round to the right and they advanced along it with the bombing party in front. This trench led into one of the enemy’s main trenches and when within 20 yards of it the whole of the bombing party, 8 in number except one were put out of action. They also were met by a heavy enfilade rifle fire. The officer commanding decided to erect a barricade at once and this was accomplished under heavy rifle fire and hand bombing of the enemy. The trench was put into a state of defence. The Coy in support moves forward and reinforced this Coy, and I also sent a Coy of the 2nd/3rd GURKHA RIFLES with the same purpose. I regret I have not been able to find out what happened to the Coy under Major DUNDAS, but it evidently reinforced that ½ Battn 2nd/3rd in reserve at daylight, nor is it possible to say what happened to the supporting Coy on the right as Major KNATCHBULL was wounded. Lt TOOLEY missing, but it eventually joined up with the leading Coy. Stock was taken of the position as soon as it was light enough. The PIONEER Coy immediately improved the communication trench, and as it could be seen that a main enemy’s trench flanked its right, I ordered it to be made into a fire trench as well, and to be traversed. This work was excellently done by the Coy and they were of the greatest assistance. The captured trench on the right was also not only enfiladed by this trench, but commanded by it. There were no traverses in it and being very narrow, was very hard to work in. It was not long before the enemy started on it with heavy bombs from mortars and bringing a Maxim up the trench blew the barricade down. We were steadily pushed back along it, until finally we held only 30 yards of it, Capt BAMBEGGER, ROYAL ENGINEERS was killed while gallantly directing the erection of the barricade. At the same time the two Maxims opened in front with the object of enfilading the communications trench and the parapet had to be built up again to prevent this. The conclusion was more being forced on me that unless an attack was initiated on the right of the enemy’s trench in that direction held, the position was untenable and I reported accordingly, with this result which is already known. The retirement was well carried out and without loss. Finally the net profits were two Maxim guns, 4 prisoners and I personally saw 5 dead Germans left visible, but my officers report many more than this wounded and I consider more were killed. One of the killed was an officer but it was impossible to get to him.