Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, I wish to make a statement to the House to express sorrow at the death of Second World War veteran Edward (Ted) Kenna VC, who passed away on 8 July 2009, at the age of 90, in Geelong in Victoria. Ted Kenna was Australia’s last surviving Victoria Cross recipient from the Second World War. The Victoria Cross is Australia’s highest award for acts of bravery in wartime. Over one million Australians have served in wartime but only 97 have been recognised with this extraordinary honour. Ted Kenna was one of them. The courage he showed at war was the stuff of legend.

On 15 May, 1945, while posted to the 2nd/4th Battalion, Private Kenna’s company was given the task of clearing enemy troops from the Wirui Mission near Wewak in New Guinea. This was not an easy task. The Japanese army held strongly fortified positions on higher ground. As the Australians approached they were met with heavy machine gun fire. Many were wounded. The Australians could not close on the enemy positions, so Private Kenna stood up in full view of the enemy to get a better shot and fired until he was out of ammunition. The enemy were only metres away and their bullets, according to Kenna’s citation, passed between his arms and his body.  Private Kenna then called for a 303 rifle and, still in full view and in an even greater danger, cleared the enemy gun position. Private Kenna’s extraordinary bravery made it possible for his company’s attack to succeed. Private Kenna’s Victoria Cross citation spoke of his magnificent courage and complete disregard for his own safety.

Three weeks after his action, Private Kenna was shot in the mouth. He spent months recovering in the Heidelberg repat hospital in Melbourne. It was there that he met nursing sister Marjorie Rushberry, whom he married in 1947—a story we have heard many times repeated in Australia’s engagements in war.

Ted Kenna was a genuine Australian hero. He was modest about his award. He said, as he spoke of the mates he had served alongside, ‘The boys of the time—it belongs as much to them as it does to me.’ Today we recall the modest man who made an outstanding contribution to his nation, our nation, Australia. We honour Ted Kenna’s service not only to his company that day in New Guinea but to all Australians in exemplifying the Australian values of courage, resilience and compassion.

I would like to extend my sympathies and that of the government and the House to his family. I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to Marjorie, to their sons, Alan and Robert, and to their daughters, Marlene and the late Annette.

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