Russell Jordan Kennedy was born and raised in the farming community of Dunrobin, ON. He studied engineering at Queen's University where he was a member Canadian Officers Training Corps and graduated in 1941 with a BSc. After working in northern Ontario on a dam construction project for the summer, he enlisted in the Canadian Army in October 1941. Undertaking basic training at the Officer Training Centre (OTC) in Brockville, Ontario and engineer officer training at A5 Canadian Engineer Training Centre in Camp Petawawa, Russ joined the 23rd Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers in New Brunswick. The company was still undergoing training in Sussex, New Brunswick but soon concentrated in Debert NS with the rest of 2nd Corps Troops, RCE before they unit embarked for England from Halifax, NS on 17 July 1943. Russ sailed to England as a Platoon Commander.
Soon after the arrival of his unit in France and throughout the Northwest Europe campaign, Lt Kennedy served as the Company Reconnaissance Officer, returning home in 1946.In England, they continued training in anticipation of a major role in the invasion of Europe.
the rubble in Caen
The 23rd Field Company embarked for Normandy on 6 July but it was 11 July before they disembarked on Juno Beach. The company soon moved into the outskirts of Caen where they were tasked to construct a military road for the Allied advance through the city of Caen. Caen had been extensively bombed by the Allies and was now an obstacle to their advance. Control of the city was still heavily contested and they were regularly under fire as they worked. The company cleared a new route through the rubble of wrecked buildings by demolishing obstacles, bulldozing rubble, clearing mines, and filling potholes. After clearing the route now known as 'Andy's Alley', they were occupied with supported the Allied advance - often by river crossing and bridge-building. The bridge that they built across the Orne River was named “Reynold’s Bridge” after a unit officer who had recently been killed.
rescue operations
The 23rd Field Company then supported a 4th Armoured Division assault crossing of the Seine River near Pont de L’Arche. The company had trained extensively in England on British “Stormboats” and this assault crossing was a successful crossing using this equipment under the occasional artillery and mortar fire. The 23rd Field Company next built a 110-ft Bailey Bridge across the Seine River at Pont de L’Arche in less than 24 hours. The company then supported the Allied advance into Belgium and Holland. In Holland, the 23rd Field Company played the major role in "Operation BERLIN"- the evacuation of the encircled and depleted British 1st Airborne Division forces on the far side of the Neder Rijn River.
23rd Fd Coy from Normandy
to Arnhem
Russ landed in France with his company on 10 July 1944. They immediately set to clearing rubble in Caen followed by bridging tasks over the Orne River (see Marching in France – Remembering D-Day 75 Years Later). Next came the crossing of the Seine in late August where the 23rd Field Company carried infantry troops of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division across in storm boats before taking over a ferry operation. On 29th August, they led the operation to built one of the first floating bridges over the Seine at Pont de l'Arche.
Russell’s company played the major role in Operation BERLIN - the evacuation of the depleted and encircled British 1st Airborne Division on the west side of the Neder Rijn River after the failed Operation MARKET GARDEN. As part of the 1st Canadian Army Troops, 20th and 23rd Field Companies helped withdraw some 2,500 British and Polish airborne troopers across the Neder Rijn River under heavy and continuous enemy fire during the night of 25/26 September 1944. Lt Kennedy's actions during the operation in its planning, reconnaissance and execution showcased his courage and leadership. Russ was the company reconnaissance officer and worked closely with the CO and Corps HQ in the planning and execution of the mission. The stormboat operation saved more than 2,000 of the 10,000 members of the British 1st Airborne Division and Lt Russ Kennedy won a Military Cross for exceptional bravery in action. He was presented the medal by King George VI at Buckingham Palace after the war.
Russ returned to Canada and settled in Kingston. Ontario. We was a Civil Engineering professor at Queen's University while serving in the Militia. Retired from the Army as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 1960s. He died in Kingston on 4 June 2010 at the age of 92 years. (See Last Post)
In the evacuation of surviving elements of 1 British Airborne Division from their bridgehead on the River Neder Rijn at Arnhem, this officer was responsible for the operation of the stormboats. Her personally made several trips across the river in the face of heavy machine gun fire to bring off troops, and continued to do so, in spite of having one boat capsized, until no further troops could be brought off. His intrepid bearing and personal example, in spite of casualties to his crews, played a great part in the successful evacuation of the division. Later, in the period ending 21 November 1944, he was detailed to carry out the evacuation of other troops from the north bank of the River Neder Rijn to Hetteren. In the face of heavy enemy machine gun and mortar fire he succeeded in unloading and concealing his stormboats, and for a period of six successive nights he went alone to a forward position, exposed to small arms fire, to await signals from the far bank indicating the presence of troops to be brought across. On the sixth night, having seen a signal, he crossed in his stormboat and brought back a party of men. Lieutenant Kennedy remained in his post during the next two nights after which it was certain that no further troops would come through. From Normandy through Holland, Lieutenant Kennedy has shown exceptional qualities of leadership, gallantry, devotion to duty and the ability to think and act clearly and quickly even under the most adverse circumstances. These qualities have been a constant inspiration to his troops and fellow officers. There is no hesitation to follow where he leads.