Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Sutherland shire community, which I am proud to represent in this place as the member for Cook, was deeply saddened at the passing of Edward ‘Ted’ Kenna VC. Ted—or ‘Ned’, as he was known to his mates—had a long and close connection with the shire through his service as patron of the Miranda RSL Club. Ned was a regular visitor to the club for over 12 years and his visits were eagerly anticipated by RSL members. Miranda RSL sub-branch President Warren Barnes was a long-time friend of Ned and his wife Marjorie and served as Ted’s aide de camp on his visits. Warren fondly recalled how Ned always took the time to meet and chat with RSL members and how he particularly enjoyed the strong sense of camaraderie which has become a hallmark of the Miranda club.

Ned’s old Army unit, the 2nd/4th Battalion of 1939 to 1945, also has a connection with the shire: the Sutherland Army Reserve unit, the 4th/3rd Battalion Royal New South Wales Regiment, wears the white and green of Ted’s old battalion and continues to serve in the best spirit of diggers like Ned.

The last surviving Victoria Cross winner from World War II, Ned was a national hero, though he wore that badge reluctantly and remained a humble country boy. Ned earned his Victoria Cross in Wewak, New Guinea on 15 May 1945 when he put himself in grave danger in order to save the lives of his mates. On that day, Ned single-handedly engaged an enemy machine gun post that had pinned down his unit, all the while under direct fire from enemy soldiers. Despite the terrific danger and a seemingly hopeless situation, Ned did not flinch and instead successfully ended the threat from the Japanese, saving the lives of his mates in the process.

When I was recently with my colleague and friend the member for Blaxland walking the Kokoda Track—and we think particularly of those at the moment who are in grave danger on that track, and their families—one of the things that both of us, I think, came to a completely new appreciation of was the bravery of those who fought there, particularly those who were awarded the Victoria Cross. On that occasion we were reflecting on the life of Bruce Kingsbury and today, here, we pay our respects to Ted Kenna.

One of the things that the young people who were with us said as they walked that track was how much more they wanted to know about heroes like Bruce Kingsbury and heroes we read about and know of from our own shire, like Ted Kenna. I think those of us here in this place but also those who sit in state parliaments around the country have a responsibility to ensure that in our national school curricula and in our communities we tell these stories. We are the generation linking those great heroes of Australia, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the generations that follow us have the benefit of our first-hand experience of hearing their stories. So I would encourage all of us to do that, in memory and in tribute and in honour of those such as Ted Kenna who paid a deep price for their battles—some the ultimate price. Fortunately, Ted went on to live a long and fruitful life, but his sacrifice was no less in terms of his courage on that day. It is up to us, I think, to be that linking generation, to pass on these stories and make sure that the honour that is due is given and that it does not happen just in a place like this today but that these stories live on and on.

We can celebrate those stories as great stories of courage. Young people are incredibly inspired not by the horrors of war but by the qualities and purity that it brought out in these ordinary men who did incredible, extraordinary things. They are inspired to think about what is within themselves. As we walked the track with our own young people, we saw the same sorts of qualities, and seeing that gives us great hope for the future. As we remember Ted Kenna, we say thanks to Ted Kenna for a life well lived, for a service well performed and for an example well made to all the rest of us. I think we can speak volumes in celebration of all of those things.

We know that weeks later, after his heroism, Ted’s fortunes changed when he was shot in the mouth. Ted was cared for by the legendary fuzzy wuzzy angels before being evacuated to Australia, where he met his future wife, who was nursing him back to health.

Next month Miranda RSL will hold a special commemoration service for Ned which I will be proud to attend and which will no doubt provide a fitting tribute to a man who served his country bravely and proudly and who touched the lives of so many club members. Ted is survived by his wife, Marjorie, four children, 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. I can think of no greater legacy than that. On behalf of the Sutherland shire community I thank Ted for his service to our nation and for his wonderful contribution to the Sutherland shire. Lest we forget.

Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I again join with others to acknowledge a great Australian, a man who many years ago showed amazing courage in the face of great adversity but who also, after that time, proved, as has been said by some who have won Victoria Crosses and many who have dealt with those who have, that it is one thing to win one; it is another thing to be able to wear one in subsequent years and to do it justice.

Ted Kenna was such a man. Not only did he win his Victoria Cross with a display of great valour in circumstances which could have ended in personal disaster but he then became an example to all Australians in his deportment over the years. He was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things and who lived up to the extraordinary responsibility that he had as one of Australia’s fewer than 100 Victoria Cross winners—one of only 20 from World War II. He is the last of our 20 Victoria Cross winners from World War II to pass on, and so this is the closing of an era. There are many World War II veterans left, but Ted was the last one left who had received the Victoria Cross.

Much has been said about his act of bravery on that day. I would like to focus on just a small part of that and relate it to the proceedings at his state funeral at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Thursday, 16 July. One of the speakers on that occasion was Major General Gordon Maitland. Major General Maitland is a very impressive man in his own right, and on that day he delivered an astoundingly dignified address. I note the member for Berowra is nodding and I am sure he knows Major General Maitland from his travels. Major General Maitland went through the circumstances around Ted’s winning of the Victoria Cross and his deportment since. I will focus on one element of what Major General Maitland said; I will paraphrase him because I cannot do his words justice. His point, which he illustrated so clearly, was that Ted and his men knew that in the circumstances they were in at that time, pinned down by machine gun fire, action had to be taken and someone had to take that action. Ted was the Bren gunner for that platoon, and his responsibility, given he was carrying the firepower for the platoon, was to act. As Major General Maitland said, there was never any doubt that Ted would do so, and the fact that he did so so successfully and was able to win the day and save the lives of so many of his comrades was a tremendous example of the courage that he displayed. But Ted was a modest man about his award and he was quoted around the time as saying that it was more about the mates that he served alongside. He said:

… the boys at the time, it belongs as much to them as it does me.

He revelled in his return after his shooting, firstly in the not well-known but outstandingly poignant love story of how he met his wife, Marjorie. She nursed him when he first came back with horrific injuries, and they then formed a lifelong partnership, which bore four children and was obviously the most important part of his life. Again, in good old-fashioned Australian style, he could always joke about it, suggesting that Marjorie had wooed him rather than the other way around. That is an Australian male talking, isn’t it!

His funeral was well attended, as it should have been. It was attended by significant elements of our military, of our returned services community and of the broader community. It was a suitable testament to his exemplary service both in the military at the time and subsequently as an Australian icon. I had the privilege of meeting him only once, at the footy about 10 years ago, but I will always remember the opportunity I had to shake his hand on that occasion.

He had not been well of late and the circumstances of his passing were not entirely unexpected. He left at the age of 90, having lived a very full life—a life that brought him and his family great credit and a life that, in many ways, encapsulated all that over the years has been good about the Anzac spirit. He was a man who did great things when they were required, at a time when his mates needed him. He was a truly great Australian, a man it was my very great pleasure to meet, and a man who did great honour to his name.

Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Wednesday, 8 July 2009, Edward (Ted) Kenna died in a Geelong nursing home aged 90. Quite a few Australians died on that day, as they do almost every day, mostly of old age. On that day Ted Kenna’s death was more than just a loss to his family; it was a great loss to Australia because Ted Kenna was also known as Private Edward Kenna VC. He was one of very few men to have distinguished themselves in the field of battle at the highest level possible.

While the Victoria Cross medal is emblazoned simply with the words ‘For valour’, those words somewhat understate the character of those that receive the medal. Any walk through the Australian War Memorial’s VC hall and a reading of the citations demonstrates that the men who won these medals were uncommon and displayed the highest level of personal courage in the face of certain death. Indeed, when we read Ted Kenna’s citation we must surely question how anyone survived the bullets of the enemy when standing so fully exposed to their fire. Part of his citation reads:

On his own initiative and without orders Private Kenna stood up immediately in full view of the enemy less than 50 yards away and engaged the bunker, firing his Bren gun from his hip. The enemy machine gun immediately returned Kenna’s fire with such accuracy that bullets actually passed between his arms and 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 weapon opened fire on Private Kenna from a different position and another of the enemy immediately tried to move into position behind the first machinegun, but Private Kenna remained standing and killed him with his next round.

The result of Private Kenna’s magnificent bravery in the face of concentrated fire, was that the bunker was captured without further loss, and the company attack proceeded to a successful conclusion, many enemy being killed and numerous automatic weapons captured.

The citation says in conclusion:

There is no doubt that the success of the company attack would have been seriously endangered and many casualties sustained but for Private Kenna’s magnificent courage and complete disregard for his own safety. His action was an outstanding example of the highest degree of bravery.

The reports of witnesses that suggest that enemy bullets flew through his clothes without striking him are somewhat easy to believe, given the number of rounds fired and the fact that he was not wounded in the fight. So many of those VC citations are similar: when you hear what was done, it is difficult to believe that the soldier was not killed in the fight when you think that, by all reckoning, he should have been.

Fortunately, Ted Kenna was not killed on that day, 15 May 1945, and he lived on to be an inspiration to this country. He was severely wounded three weeks later, shot in the mouth, and he spent the next year recovering. It was during that time that he met his future wife Marjorie Rushberry, whom he married in 1947. They had two sons and two daughters. At the time of his death, he was a father of four, grandfather of 12 and great-grandfather of 15. He is survived by Marjorie, his wife of 62 years.

In speaking about Ted Kenna, family and friends have a consistent memory of his life. He was humble, an all-round family man, and a solid and reliable friend. The view of those that knew him is very clear: men do not come much better than Ted Kenna VC. His death marks a sad time for Australia, but who he was, what he did and his commitment to this nation will never be forgotten.

Mike Kelly (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a privilege it is for us to be here today to speak in support this motion of condolence for Private Edward Kenna VC. When he passed away on 8 July, in that period there was a lot of mesmerisation in the world about the passing of Michael Jackson, but I have to confess that that certainly was not my focus. Certainly also for a number of Australians the focus was firmly on the passing of Ted Kenna. It was important for us to do so because it was one of those indelibly sad but important days in our history. It was important because Ted Kenna symbolises and illustrates so much of what is important for us to value, to honour and to emulate in this country.

I heard today the member for Paterson talking about a poem which talked about various professions who owed soldiers various things. It is important for us to remember that so much of our military history is actually about people from those professions becoming soldiers to achieve those things. The history and tradition of the citizen soldier in this country is part of its proudest history. It is those people, like Ted, a plumber from country Victoria, who pick up that challenge and then go away and do incredibly extraordinary things that really tend to help us understand some of the special qualities that we should value in this country and in our society.

I guess those of us who come from rural and regional Australia will readily identify those characters that we find in our country towns and communities who have so much of that spirit of sticking their hands up, volunteering and community service. That was Ted. Before he joined up in the second AIF Ted had been part of the civilian military forces. He had been a reservist. He had already been part of that contribution to his community in so many ways, including in that military respect. There was a bit of hesitation on Ted’s part when the Second World War broke out because he was a bit reluctant to take orders—which is, of course, another characteristic of Australians. The essence of that is the quality of Australians that gives rise to their ability to use their initiative, which has served us so well in so many circumstances.

We have heard details of the battle that Ted was involved in—an incredible act of courage. That was just one layer of what was an incredibly difficult experience for all of our soldiers in New Guinea, given the terrain, the conditions and the diseases that they had to endure. On top of that, they had to engage in such deadly, vicious and brutal combat against an enemy that knew no bounds in its brutality—that great, malevolent evil against which they fought. He does illustrate how important it is for individuals to stand up and do that. So much of our history has depended upon these individuals who are prepared to take on these acts of courage, sometimes in the face of opposition from colleagues. Madam Deputy Speaker Moylan, you probably understand that experience. It is so important for us to honour and emulate that experience. In the battle in which he participated he also saved the lives of his colleagues. That Australian understatement was again illustrated when his colleagues turned to him and said merely, ‘Good shooting, Ted,’ when he saved their lives and resolved that situation.

I talked about the evil that he fought against. It was a privilege to be, along with the member for Berowra, at the Burwood ceremony for the Sandakan incident—or atrocity—during World War II. Nothing illustrates more the evil that these soldiers were fighting against in that very episode. I mentioned earlier that had 40,000 fatalities in World War II, nearly 2,000 of those in that Sandakan incident. This certainly was an important cause for this country that these soldiers were engaged in. Not long after this incident, we know that Ted was severely injured due to an explosive bullet round into his mouth. He was told at the time that he was likely to die, and his response to that was simply, ‘Pigs!’ Nothing could illustrate the man more than that comment. There was a little personal connection for me in Ted’s subsequent history, in that, during his time in Heidelberg hospital, my grandfather was also in Heidelberg hospital recovering from his severe malnutrition and conditions that he had acquired as a prisoner of the Japanese on the Burma-Thai railway. They shared that time together in Heidelberg hospital.

Ted, in his laconic way, described how that was to his benefit, because, as was mentioned by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, he met his wonderful wife, Marjorie, there. What a special woman she must have been, and still is, but particularly at that time. Ted did not receive his Victoria Cross until 1947, so there is no question of him having been a celebrity in hospital at that time, and the wounds that he suffered were terribly disfiguring. Nevertheless, Marjorie was able to see past all that and formed a relationship with Ted which was to endure for over half a century and which produced four wonderful children, 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. So what a special woman Marjorie is. We should also take this opportunity to pay tribute to her at this time.

I mentioned that Ted was a great contributor to society in general, and that is what we should also acknowledge here—not just those moments of his great feats in battle. It is important to note that Ted received the Centenary Medal for his services to veterans—a decoration that was created in 2001 by the previous government. Ted was one of the first recipients of that medal for his services to veterans. That in itself illustrates what kind of man he was. As we know, famously, he also received the Victoria Cross. It is interesting that often that decoration subsequently becomes a cross to bear. It is funny how a soldier will go through extreme situations of tension, terror and risk to life and then we impose added expectations on them when they receive this decoration. Our expectation requires them to be role models in their subsequent life. But Ted bore all that with incredible good grace and fulfilled all the expectations that we have of our Victoria Cross holders.

I conclude by pointing to the single most important thing in this. We are currently, as I mentioned earlier, engaged in a similar struggle against a malevolent evil which requires the same dedication, endurance and commitment that that great generation delivered. It is very important for us to be worthy of that great generation in our ongoing commitment and support of not only our veterans and their families but also the soldiers who continue to serve, and we must maintain our solidarity in the face of this great challenge.

Louise Markus (Greenway, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I join with my colleagues in honouring Ted Kenna VC, the last Australian Victoria Cross recipient of World War II, who recently passed away at the age of 90 years. He was a unique Australian. His bravery in the face of great personal danger must never be forgotten. Ted Kenna was awarded the Victoria Cross for action in Wewak, New Guinea, on 15 May 1945. When coming under heavy fire, he defeated a Japanese machine-gun crew. His action made it possible for his company’s attack to succeed. Having spent time in Wewak myself, I can only imagine the challenges that he would have faced. The tropical climate is a unique challenge in itself, but add to that an enemy in jungle warfare. Ted needs to be honoured. There is no greater act of courage than to risk your own life to save the lives of your mates. His decision to run directly into enemy fire, knowing he could face his own death at any moment, would have required extraordinary valour and courage.

Edward—known as Ted—Kenna was born in Hamilton, Victoria, on 6 July 1919. After completing his education in his home town, he became a plumber. In August 1940 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and served in the 23/21st Battalion. In June 1943 his unit was disbanded and he was assigned to the 2/4th Battalion and embarked to New Guinea in October 1944. Ted Kenna’s actions in the New Guinea campaign epitomise the Anzac spirit. He was among the bravest of the brave in that great generation of Australians who fought to defend our freedoms in Europe, Asia and on our doorstep.

As we know, the Victoria Cross is awarded for the most conspicuous bravery, a daring act of valour or self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy. Today is an opportunity for us to honour Ted Kenna, his life, his courage and his commitment to his fellow soldiers. After the war, as has been mentioned today, Ted returned to Hamilton with his wife, Marjorie, and raised their four children. I can only imagine that when Marjorie was tending to Ted their relationship would have blossomed and I am sure that Marjorie saw that Ted was a unique man with a great heart. Today we see the legacy that they both left. Ted continued to salute the Anzac tradition and regularly attended many Victoria Cross reunions in London and the annual Anzac Day parades in Melbourne. His legacy is remembered at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, and in July 2000 he was honoured on a postage stamp as part of the commemoration of Australia’s living VC winners. I would also like to express my heartfelt condolences to his wife Marjorie and to his extended family at this difficult time. His death will be mourned and his memory honoured by all Australians.

As much as we remember the passing of a great Australian today, this is an opportunity also to reflect on the contributions of all veterans who gave all to serve their country. I also want to take this opportunity to remind the House of the important and vital contribution of our veteran community in the past, in the present and of course into the future. I remain committed to ensuring that veterans will receive the care and support to which they are entitled. It is a privilege to stand here today and honour such a great Australian.

Greg Combet (Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise also to extend my sincere condolences to the family of Australia’s last World War II Victoria Cross winner, Ted Kenna, who passed away on Wednesday, 8 July, aged 90 years. In particular, my thoughts go to his wife of 62 years, Marjorie, their sons Robert and Alan, their daughter Marlene and their 12 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Ted Kenna represented a very tangible link to one of the most important periods in Australian history. Only once has Australia faced a direct threat to our national sovereignty when the Japanese conquest of South-East Asia and Papua New Guinea left us vulnerable to occupation. For his courageous actions near Wewak in PNG, Ted Kenna was awarded the Victoria Cross. It took the courage, commitment and determination of men like Ted Kenna to restore peace and security to our neighbourhood. With Ted Kenna’s passing, we pause to remember the remaining World War II veterans who proudly served this country.

Just touching on some of the actions of Ted Kenna which resulted in his Victoria Cross being awarded, it is important to recall that on 15 May 1945 Private Ted Kenna was a member of Alpha Company of the 2nd/4th Battalion. Their role was to clear the Japanese defenders from Wirui Mission south of Wewak air base on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. During that mission, Ted Kenna came under heavy machine-gun fire from the Japanese. Risking his life, he stood in clear sight of the enemy and took out two or three machine-gun posts using a Bren gun fired from the hip, then one of his colleague’s rifles. In part, his Victoria Cross citation reads as follows:

The result of Private Kenna’s magnificent bravery in the face of concentrated fire was that the bunker was captured without further loss, and the company attack proceeded to a successful conclusion, many enemy being killed and numerous automatic weapons captured.

Just three weeks after that battle on 5 June 1945, Ted Kenna was badly wounded in action, sustaining life-threatening wounds to his face. It was while he was recovering from this injury that he met his wife Marjorie, who was a nurse at the time.

Our national values, which underpin the values our army subscribes to, could have been modelled on Ted Kenna, from what we know of his actions. He was a very modest man who rarely spoke of his deeds, yet he set an example of courage and determination that will serve to inspire future generations.

Today, we have just two surviving Victoria Cross recipients, who of course represent the highest embodiment of bravery and dedication to duty: Keith Payne VC, who was awarded a Victoria Cross for his service of May 1969 during the Vietnam War, and, most recently, Trooper Mark Donaldson VC, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia in January of this year for his courageous actions in Afghanistan on 2 September 2008. The courage of these men inspires current and future generations of Australians. I send my regards to the family of Ted Kenna.

David Hawker (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too would like to recognise the incredible contribution of Private Ted Kenna VC and note that it was just two days after his 90th birthday, on 8 July, that Ted passed away. Ted was a resident of Hamilton, which is in my electorate. He was widely known and highly regarded by many, many people right throughout the region and indeed, as we have heard, right throughout Australia.

Ted was an amazing person. He was most unassuming, but one of those people who could display the true qualities of someone who would look after his mates. As we have heard, his act of bravery was quite remarkable. He was the Bren gunner of his platoon and when the platoon was held down, with no hesitation and no thought for his own life, he stood up in full view of the enemy and cleared the machine gun post that was holding down the platoon. When the Bren gun ran out of ammunition, he then called for and was thrown a .303, with which he continued to do the job of taking out the machine gun post. The story is remarkable in that he did not even flinch when bullets were not only passing between his arm and his body but in fact went through his shirt leaving holes in it. Ted’s valour is an extraordinary story, but, in his most unassuming way, he would never claim to have done anything more than was expected of him. It was also recorded that he was promoted temporarily from the rank of private to lance corporal, a position he was not comfortable with, and in fact he asked to return to the rank of private. As the rest of the story goes he was very badly wounded. Nonetheless his example has stood as something that is highly regarded.

The thing about Ted as a remarkable Australian is that he had a very strong commitment to veterans, not only locally but right throughout Australia. In his later years he made a great effort and travelled a lot to try to assist other veterans. His other great commitment to the community in later life was to visit schools. Again, he made a great impression on many young people by talking to them in his own laconic way about some of his experiences, helping them to have a better understanding of the contribution that so many made during World War II, particularly in the Pacific theatre.

He was always unassuming and when questioned about his experiences, as his daughter, Marlene Day, said, he was modest when he talked about his own Victoria Cross, which he was awarded for gallantry. Ms Day said:

He’s always said to me that he’s proud to wear it, but he wears it for every soldier because he says everyone contributes to those sorts of things.

That really encapsulates Ted. That is the way he was. He did not want to be glorified for what he did; he felt that he was just doing it to try to help his mates.

There were, of course, a couple of other things about Ted. He was a very good footballer. After the war, when he recovered from his injuries, he took up football again locally, and in the 1947 grand final, in the Western Border Football League, Ted was playing for Hamilton. The scores were level in the last quarter with the siren about to ring. It is said that Ted ‘just seemed to come out of nowhere from across the ground, kicked a point and Hamilton got its premiership.’ When he was on the ground he was never backward in coming forward.

In the eulogy at the state funeral, Major General Maitland told many things about the wonderful activities of Ted, but he spoke in particular of the unfailing humility that kept Ted from ever telling his story in any detail. It was a quality that sat alongside his respect for the supreme award of military bravery. Major General Maitland said, ‘He recognised the stature of being a Victoria Cross holder, but he sought no glamour, no reward. He wore it with empathy and he wore it for all of those who fought with him.’ As he said, he always reckoned he was just doing his job.

I have been very fortunate to, in a very small way, be involved in helping Hamilton have a lasting tribute to Ted Kenna. Back in 1988 we arranged to get Sir William Dargie, the famous Australian portrait painter who I think won eight Archibald prizes, to agree to paint Ted Kenna’s portrait, and that now hangs in the Performing Arts Centre in Hamilton in the Ted Kenna room. So we have a lasting memory of Ted Kenna in Hamilton. I can assure colleagues that the people of Hamilton have very fond memories of Ted and the contribution he has made in so many ways, but most of all of course his remarkable bravery during World War II and the award of the Victoria Cross for that wonderful act of bravery. I, like others, would say how much our thoughts are with Marj, his wife, and with his children and grandchildren.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to celebrate and acknowledge the great life of Edward ‘Ted’ Kenna VC, who died on 9 July 2009 aged 90—married to his beautiful wife, Marjorie, a father of four, a grandfather of 12 and a great-grandfather of 15.

Future generations will ask where I was when the last surviving World War II Victoria Cross recipient died. I will say that I was here in the House speaking about a great Australian—an Australian who was part of the glorious fellowship of the Victoria Cross; a fellowship that knows no race or creed, no boundaries, no age, no nationality; a fellowship joined only by exceptional bravery and heroism; a fellowship that cannot be bought, that cannot be joined, but is only awarded and bestowed for acts so great, for acts so incredibly above what normal human beings would be capable of, that the majority of winners are awarded it posthumously. Those who have received it have done so because of what they have done in times of battle and conflict. Ted was part of the glorious fellowship of the Victoria Cross. By all accounts, and speaking to members here who knew Ted well, he was an incredibly humble man, an Anzac of the highest order who did not like fuss being made about his achievements. To fight one day and to score that winning goal for Hamilton in a later life says so much about Ted Kenna. And so too does the manner in which he won the VC. I have always contended that you will never truly know an individual’s character until you see them under great pressure, under great stress, and there is no greater stress in life than the field of operational service and, particularly, the field of battle.

Ted Kenna, with a company assault in Wewak in Papua New Guinea in 1945, with the assault being held up, stood up, with the enemy no more than 50 metres away—indeed, closer. The enemy’s fire engaged upon him, as you would expect from a target that bobs up in the jungle. Undeterred, he took a Bren gun and engaged the enemy, destroying the opponent and, when running out of ammunition, simply discarded the Bren gun and asked for a rifle while still standing, and he continued to engage, suppressing the enemy position, allowing the company to move forward, and achieving its objective.

The accolades regarding Ted Kenna’s achievement speak of bullet holes in his clothing, of rounds passing between arms and body—an incredible act of bravery. I can only imaging the horrors of jungle life in 1945. I have spent a lot of time in PNG. I spent five months in the civil war in Bougainville on one of the islands of PNG, and I have walked the Kokoda Trail. I know first hand the horrors of the jungle but I know nothing of the horrors of the jungle when you are in battle: when you are being shot at; when your equipment is falling off you; when your clothes are in tatters; and when you are hungry, tired and thirsty and engaged in a bitter assault against a numerically superior enemy. This is what Ted Kenna found himself against, and his character grew. In the mettle of that fire his character shone forth in such an impressive way.

Three weeks later this Australian hero was to be shot in the jaw and would spend 10 long days walking out of that forbidding, impenetrable jungle to get back to a first-aid station. Stories recount of a rancid bandage on his face when he finally made it back to some care and first aid. I can only imagine that Ted Kenna would not have complained and would not have been a burden. I suggest he was not carried, I suggest he walked out of that jungle a severely wounded warrior. I find it extraordinarily and incredibly Australian that the first person at the hospital to touch this brave warrior was a nurse, Marjorie, who would later become his wife. The care that that involves is so incredibly Australian. There are only two surviving Australian VC recipients out of the 97 awarded: Vietnam veteran Keith Payne VC and of course our own serving digger, Mark Donaldson VC, who was awarded the Victoria Cross—the first Australian Victoria Cross—for his service in Afghanistan.

It is interesting to read the citation to get a feel for the type of character that was Ted Kenna. It reads:

On his own initiative and without orders Private Kenna immediately stood up in full view of the enemy less than 50 yards away and engaged the bunker, firing his Bren gun from the hip.

He stood up and entrenched the enemy with machine gun fire in a bunker—no sandbags to protect Ted Kenna, just raw Australian courage. The citation continues:

The enemy machine gun immediately returned Private Kenna’s fire and with such accuracy that bullets actually passed between his arms and body.

This is what you would expect from an enemy with machine guns mounted, sited in a bunker, against a lone Australian standing on his feet. The citation goes on:

Undeterred, he remained completely exposed and continued to fire at the enemy until his magazine was exhausted.

There are 20 or 30 rounds in a Bren gun magazine. The citation continues:

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.

Ted Kenna could shoot.

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

Two machine gun posts in a jungle, bunkered in and camouflaged, firing at young Ted Kenna, 26 years old, standing up in the jungle. Mr Panter, the surviving member of a dwindling 2/4th Battalion, said that when it was all over Mr Kenna had bullet holes in his pants and shirt. Mr Panter said:

He told me then, and always said later, that he just had to do it.

Mr Panter went on:

Ned reckoned he was the person on the spot and someone had to do something and he just jumped up and without thinking did what he did. That’s what happens in war, you know: ordinary people do extraordinary things and Ned always thought of himself as just an ordinary bloke. History would suggest otherwise.

It was an incredible citation for an incredibly brave Australian. In the face of an overwhelming enemy, dug in and entrenched, and against sighted automatic weapons from different positions, Ted Kenna stood up and engaged the enemy. And when the ammunition of his main weapon was extinguished he threw it aside and called for another, still standing.

If we knew nothing else about Ted Kenna that alone would tell us something about his character, of his fortitude, of his mettle, of his love for family and friends, and of his care for his mates—held up in a jungle, suppressed by enemy fire. But we know so much more. Through those who knew him and loved him, through those who played footy with him, through his 15 great-grandchildren, his 12 grandchildren and his four children we know a man who was humble and who loved his country; who spent his remaining years serving his nation, going into schools, talking to kids and being the best he could be. We salute Ted Kenna—he is a great Australian. He set a great standard for the Anzac warriors who today continue to fight for freedom in various battles around the world. Only last week I was privileged to go to East Timor to visit our soldiers there in 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, who form the basis of the international security force, and to meet the Timor Leste Defence Force and the Australian construction team. I salute the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion RAR, Lieutenant Colonel David Smith, for his leadership of his men in Timor Leste and I wish them all a safe tour. I pray that they return quickly to their loved ones, their families and their friends, as I do, likewise, for our forces currently engaged in combat in Afghanistan.

Freedom alone is the privilege of those who are prepared to fight for it and defend it. With those words, can I say that Ted Kenna VC is missed. A great warrior has moved on and we shall not forget his heroism, his sacrifice and what he did for the freedom of his nation.