The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Military Division, M.B.E.; British War Medal (201082 S.SJT. S.E. KENNETT. TANK CORPS.); Victory Medal (201082 S.SJT. S.E. KENNETT. TANK CORPS.) Defence Medal; War Medal 1939-45; Army Long Service & Good Conduct Medal GVR bar Regular Army (7868414 W.O. CL.I. S.E. KENNETT. M.B.E., R.TANK.C.); Meritorious Service Medal GVR (201082 MECH.S.SJT. S.E. KENNETT. 6/TANK C.) - the M.B.E. is in its original case of issue.
Sidney Edward Kennett was born in Marylebone, London in 1898. He enlisted with the Royal Tank Corps on 15.5.1916 and served with the 6th Battalion in France and had a long and interesting career with them.
The 6th Royal Tank Regiment (6 RTR) was a regiment of the Royal Tank Regiment, of the British Army. It originally saw action as 6th Battalion Tank Corps in 1917. When tanks were first used in action in 1916, they were operated by the Heavy Branch of the Machine Gun Corps. This constituted six companies, A through F. With the rapid growth of the tank forces, these companies were used as the cadre of new battalions, which were quickly transferred to the newly formed Tank Corps, and then changed from letters to numbers. F Company thus became F Battalion of the Heavy Branch in November 1916, then F Battalion of the Tank Corps, then redesignated as 6th Battalion of the Tank Corps in January 1918.
During this time, the unit saw heavy action; it fought at the Battle of Messines, Passchendaele, Cambrai, Amiens (using Whippet Mk A light tanks), Bapaume, 2nd Arras and Cambrai-St Quentin.
Kennett was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in the LG of 3.6.1919 and, staying with the RTC, went oin to win further accolades in the form of a LSGCM in 1934 and the M.B.E. in 1931. His assocation with the RTC came to an end with the dawn of WWII when he was commissioned from a Mechanic Staff Sergeant to Lieutenant and then to Major with the E.R.E as the war went on.
He died in Gloucester in 1982.
Medals are in good condition unless otherwise indicated. Sold with copied research. The medals are accompanied by the recipients original, framed warrant for the M.B.E. and two mini scaled tanks mounted on a wooden frame.
