Edward Kenna - Later Life

Later Life

After his discharge from hospital, Kenna returned to Hamilton, Victoria. The people of the Hamilton district raised sufficient funds to build Kenna and his wife a house. The Kennas had four children. After the war he worked with the local council and played Australian rules football for the local team. He attended many Victoria Cross reunions in London and led the annual ANZAC Day march in Melbourne. In the 1980s Kenna had his portrait painted by Sir William Dargie and in July 2000 he was featured on a postage stamp as part of an issue commemorating Australia's living Victoria Cross winners.

Before his death in 2009, two days after his 90th birthday, Kenna was the last Australian Second World War VC recipient, and one of only two Australian living recipients of the (original) Victoria Cross, the other being Keith Payne who earned his VC during the Vietnam War. Mark Donaldson was the sole recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia at the time.

Kenna's Victoria Cross was on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra for a period in 2010. His familiy later decided to sell his medals, including the VC, at an auction held at Dallas Brooks Hall in July 2011. Kenna's medal group was sold for a record high A$1,002,000 to an unknown buyer.