Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

The passing of Ted Kenna at the age of 90 marks the end of an era in Australia’s military history. As a nation we mourn the death and we honour the memory of the last of our Victoria Cross winners from World War II. Ted Kenna’s actions in the New Guinea campaign epitomised the Anzac spirit. He was among that great generation of Australians who fought to defend our freedoms in Europe, in the Middle East, in Asia and on our own doorstep here in the Pacific. Ted Kenna was certainly one of the bravest of the brave.

He was born in Victoria on 6 July 1919. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in August 1940 and served in the 23rd/21st Battalion. In June 1943 his unit was disbanded and he was assigned to the 2nd/4th Battalion and embarked for New Guinea in October 1944. His courage in the face of great personal danger at Wewak on 15 May 1945 must never be forgotten. There is no greater act of courage than to risk your own life to save the lives of your mates. The Victoria Cross is awarded only for conspicuous bravery, and I quote, ‘a daring act of valour or self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy’. Even by that lofty measure, Ted Kenna’s actions on that famous day represented valour of epic proportions.

Let me refer briefly to the citation:

On his own initiative and without orders Private Kenna immediately stood up in full view of the enemy less than fifty yards away and engaged the bunker, firing his Bren gun from the hip. The enemy machine gun immediately returned Private Kenna’s fire and with such accuracy that bullets actually passed between his arms and his body. Undeterred, he remained completely exposed and continued to fire at the enemy until his magazine was exhausted. Still making a target of himself, Private Kenna discarded his Bren gun and called for a rifle. Despite the intense machine gun fire, he seized the rifle and, with amazing coolness, killed the gunner with his first round.

A second automatic opened fire on Private Kenna from a different position and another of the enemy immediately tried to move into position behind the first machine gun, but Private Kenna remained standing and killed him with his next round.

Mates of Ted Kenna swear that as he stood there in full view of the enemy they watched bullets go straight through his shirt. Risking death in every one of those terrifying moments, this young man, known to his closest mates as Ned, literally stood up for his country.

On behalf of the opposition and together with the Prime Minister, I had the honour to attend the state funeral for Ted Kenna at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne. It was an occasion of great solemnity, but was also a warm and loving celebration of the life of a great Australian. It was an opportunity to salute one last time Ted Kenna’s courage and commitment to his fellow soldiers, and to salute the character and qualities demonstrated throughout his life by this humble man from western Victoria.

At his state funeral, we heard from his sons, daughters and grandchildren of the valuable lessons bequeathed to them. Despite being one of the most decorated war heroes in our history, Ted Kenna was never seduced by fame. After the war he returned to his home town of Hamilton. He was intensely competitive in all things, including as a local footy legend even into his 40s. He demonstrated in his own life the value of staying true to oneself. As one of his boys, Robert, told us ‘Kenna VC was no shrinking violet’—but VCs are not by their nature shrinking violets. And yet, he remained utterly unpretentious and authentic in the way of so many of the sons and daughters of rural and regional Australia. He was not given to airs and graces or to making a fuss of himself. He was a proud man, yet never boastful. With his wife, Marge—the nurse who had tended his war wounds back at the repat hospital in Melbourne—he also maintained throughout his life the centrality of a loving family. For all of these reasons, the heroism of Kenna VC to friends and family and to his mates from the military extended far beyond that amazing act of courage at Wewak. We express our condolences to Marge and to the whole Kenna family. The nation shares in their sorrow.

As much as this House mourns the passing of this great Australian, the death of Ted Kenna is also a time to reflect on the contributions of the surviving World War II veterans, who gave their all or put all at risk in the protection of our country. This is particularly so as we look forward to this Saturday’s commemoration of victory in the Pacific and remember all those who sacrificed so much to defend and protect this country in its darkest and most desperate days. The coalition remains committed to ensuring our World War II veterans receive the care and support to which they are entitled, in recognition of the debt owed to them by all of us Australians.

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