British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. and Bar awarded to Private Thomas Kenny, 2/8th Battalion Liverpool Regiment

Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (308787 Pte., 2/8 L’pool. R.-T.F.) slight edge bruising, nearly very fine £350-400

M.M. London Gazette 23 February 1918.

Bar to M.M. London Gazette 18 September 1918.

The 2/8th (Irish) Battalion was formed in Liverpool in October 1914 and landed in France in February 1917 as part of 171 Brigade, 57th (West Lancashire) Division.

In 1917 the Division saw its first major action at the Second Battle of Passchendaele, 26 October-7 November. It is possibly for his bravery in that battle that Private Thomas Kenny was awarded the Military Medal.

On the night of the 18/19 August 1918, the 2/8th (Irish) Liverpool Regiment, as part of 171 Brigade, sent out three fighting patrols with the object of probing the enemy front line in the Fampouk South Sector. Each patrol encountered the enemy and engaged in hand to hand fighting with bomb and bayonet. It is possible that Private Kenny was awarded the Bar to his M.M for his bravery on the night 18/19 August as a member of one of these patrols.

With copied m.i.c. and 171 Brigade war diary extract.