Michael Ralph Kennedy

Forenames

Michael Ralph AWMM

Surname

Kennedy AWMM

Service number

• WWII 451818 AWMM
• Malaya 30213 AWMM
• Vietnam 30213 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Religion

Church of England, Christian AWMM

Birth

11 Oct 1922 AWMM

Address before enlistment

WW2 Pre 16 Apr 1942 AWMM C/o H. Jones, Maramarua, New Zealand AWMM

Next of kin

WW2 Mrs M.F. Kennedy (mother), Kerikeri Inlet, Bay of Islands, New Zealand AWMM

Relationship status

Pre 01 Jan 1944 AWMM Single/WWII AWMM

War

• World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
• Jayforce, 1945-1948 AWMM
• Malaya, 1960-1964 AWMM
• Vietnam War, 1961-1975 AWMM
• Regular Military Service AWMM

Campaign

• Italy AWMM
• 1946-1948 AWMM British Commonwealth Occupational Force, Japan AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

• WWII 451818 AWMM
• Malaya 30213 AWMM
• Vietnam 30213 AWMM

Military service

• 21 (Auckland) Infantry Battalion AWMM
• 24 (Auckland) Infantry Battalion AWMM

Medals and Awards

• Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) (Military) AWMM
  1963 AWMM
• 1939-1945 Star AWMM
• Italy Star AWMM
• War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
• New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
• New Zealand Operational Service Medal AWMM
• Vietnam Medal AWMM
• Legion of Merit (USA) AWMM

Military training

School Cadets at King's College and Nelson College AWMM

Enlistment

WW2 16 Apr 1942 2NZEF Nom. Roll 13, p.66
Age  19 AWMM
Farm hand/Civilian 2NZEF Nom. Roll 13, p.66

Embarkation details

• WW2 Vessel was Mooltan AWMM Temporary Corporal 2NZEF Nom. Roll 13, p.66 Infantry Reinforcements 2NZEF Nom. Roll 13, p.66 Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 11th Reinforcements AWMM
• Jayforce Temporary Second Lieutenant Nominal rolls J-Force (R22440245) 22 Infantry Battalion, B Company Nominal rolls J-Force (R22440245) British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) Japan, Main Body AWMM
  2nd Embarkation AWMM
• Malaya Major/Military AWMM New Zealand Regiment, 1 Battalion, Headquarters AWMM British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve AWMM
  3rd Embarkation AWMM
• Vietnam Colonel/Military Ministry for Culture and Heritage Visitor AWMM
  4th Embarkation AWMM

Medical notes

Height, Unknown Period AWMM
5 foot 10 inches AWMM

Last rank

1977 AWMM Brigadier/Military AWMM

Death

2 Apr 2012 Death Notice/Cemetery Record
Age  89 AWMM

Cemetery

Cremated AWMM

Obituary

Obituary: New Zealand Herald, 5 April 2012 AWMM

Related objects

External links

• Auckland Council cemetery records - North Shore, Rodney
  http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/parksfacilities/cemeteries/Pages/northburialcremationrecords.aspx
  Sources Used
• Memories of New Zealand and the Vietnam War Record
  https://vietnamwar.govt.nz/veteran/col-mr-kennedy
  Further Reference
• Nominal rolls - Embarkation rolls J-force personnel from Italy Middle East to Japan. Archives New Zealand (R22440245)
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R22440245
  Sources Used
• J Force Wikipedia Page
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Force
  Further Reference
• Romano, G. (2021, March 4). Jayforce: 75 years on. Auckland War Memorial Museum – Tāmaki Paenga Hira.
  https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/jayforce
  Further Reference

References

• Henderson, J. (1958). 22 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
• Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 13 (Embarkations from 1st January, 1944 to 31st March, 1944). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
  p.66
• Cooke, P. (2001). Defending New Zealand: ramparts on the sea 1840-1950s. Wellington, N.Z.: Defence of New Zealand Study Group.
• Pugsley, C. (2003). From emergency to confrontation: the New Zealand armed forces in Southeast Asia, 1949-1966. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
• Cenotaph data entry form
• This record was created from data kindly provided by the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
• Veterans' club : the comradeship and memories of Auckland's 21st infantry battalion. Auckland War Memorial Museum : Auckland. Accompanies exhibition held in the Pictorial Gallery, second floor, Auckland War Memorial Museum, 24 March-21 May 2006.
• 21 New Zealand Infantry Battalion Association Inc. Records, 1955 - 2005. Auckland War Memorial Museum. MS-2008-42.
• Cody, J. F., & New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs War History Branch. (1953). 21 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z. : War History Branch, Dept. of Internal Affairs.
• Burdon, R. (1959). 24 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
• Information kindly provided by family
• 1NZR Roll 1961-1963 - Bill Russell, Malayan Veterans Association Scrapbook – 40th Anniversary edition.
• DECEASED, 1 NZ Regiment, 1961-63 – Internet resource.
• This record was partially created from Cemetery research completed by Carol Foster (2021).
• Malayan Veterans Assn. (2004-). Selamat : Newsletter of the Malayan Veterans' Association Inc.
• Brocklebank, L.W. (1997). Jayforce : New Zealand and the military occupation of Japan, 1945-48. Auckland, N.Z.: Oxford University Press.
• Fry, P., & New Zealand. Army. Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. Battalion, 1st. (1983). The First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment : Journal / [P.J. Fry, editor] (25th anniversary commemorative ed.). Singapore: The Regiment.
• Cenotaph record initially prepared with the service person.
• Nominal rolls - Embarkation rolls J-force personnel from Italy Middle East to Japan. Archives New Zealand (R22440245)
  p.46
• McGibbon, I.C. (2010). New Zealand's Vietnam War: a history of combat, commitment and controversy. Auckland, N.Z.: Exisle
• Parr, A. (2012). The occupiers : New Zealand veterans remember post-war Japan. Auckland, N.Z. : Penguin.
• Fortune, G. & Bebich, M. (2008). Citizenship and remembrance : a history of the 24 NZ Infantry Battalion Association. Auckland, N.Z.: Polygraphia.