Sydney Charles Kenyon was born in Hamilton, Ontario. He married in 1929 and had one daughter soon after and a son born in 1941. He He served in the 14th Signal Company from 1925 until 1928 when he joined the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (RHLI) from September 1928 until 1938. In 1938, he returned to the Signals as a 2nd Lieutenant. On 5 June 1940, he enrolled in the Active Service Force as a sapper in the 18th Field Company, RCE. He had been running his own painting contracting company and intended to return to that business after the war. His leadership and experience got him promoted to sergeant by October. His unit trained in Sussex, New Brunswick and Debert, Nova Scotia, and left Canada bound for the United Kingdom on 18 June 1941 aboard HMT Britannic.
In March 1942, Sydney was appointed Company Sergeant Major and served in that position until February 1043 when he was promoted to cadet and posted to 165 Officer Training Unit. As a newly commissioned lieutenant, he was posted to the Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Unit for further training and development. He left England as a reinforcement officer and was posted to the 3rd Field Company the day before the 1st Canadian Division landed in Sicily on Operation HUSKY. As a platoon commander, he fought through Sicily and Italy. During the advance to Catanzaro, he was awarded the Military Cross while leading an advance guard through a minefield. During the Battle of Ortona in December 1943, he led his sappers in mouseholing operations using 'Beehive' shaped charges to blow holes between adjoining buildings in support of infantry house clearing operations. He continued leading his platoon through the Liri Valley, the Gothic Line and everything in between. On the night of 21 October 1944, during the Savio River campaign, the 3rd and 4th Field Companies were supporting the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade in an assault crossing of the Savio River. While the infantry established a foothold, heavy rains and flooding prevented the engineers from getting their bridging equipment to any of the proposed sites. While searching for an alternate site, Sydney's jeep hit a mine and he was Lieutenant Sydney Charles Kenyon was killed. He is buried in the Forli War Cemetery, Italy.
On 8 September 1943, Lieutenant Kenyon was in command of an engineer party with the advance guard moving on Catanzaro. Enemy rear guards were covering demolition parties operating in the path of the advance. About three miles south of Bovalina Marina three major demolitions were reported heavily mined. There were no harbour areas south of the town for the armoured vehicles and as night was approaching the advance guard commander was faced with the necessity of reaching Bovalina Marina or retiring to harbour positions further back.
Lieutenant Kenyon, appreciating the situation, volunteered to personally lead the advance guard through the mine fields. Walking alone at the head of the column, he skillfully and courageously led the whole advance guard around two mine fields. At the third he came under observed enemy fire, and although this fire was concentrated on him, he daringly carried on with his task until, as it was almost completed, Lieutenant Kenyon was wounded and unable to carry on further.