838688 A/Cpl. Arthur Henry Kennett was born on June 17th, 1885, in Folkstone, England. Emigrating to Canada at some point, Harry, as he'd become known, eventually married Katherine Brown. The couple were living in Thornbury, Ontario, with their two infant daughters, Margaret, and Mary who was just four months old when Harry decided to enlist.
Harry was working as a fireman when he attested to the 147th Battalion on January 1st, 1916. Assigned to "D" Company under the command of Captain Pollock, Harry would have been billeted locally over the winter, until the unit left for training at Camp Niagara in the spring of 1916. As the conditions in the Camp were wanting the unit moved to the new training facility of Camp Borden in late June.
In September the unit received their orders to proceed overseas, but they were detained in Amherst Nova, Scotia, for over a month when a number of soldiers contracted diphtheria. The unit finally sailed for Great Britain, on November 14th 1916.
On January 1st, 1917, the 147th Battalion ceased to exist when it became the nucleus for the 8th Reserve Battalion, whose task it was to supply reinforcements to the 58th Battalion
and the 4th C.M.R. Harry was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. on April 21st, 1917.
By June Harry was medically evacuated due to a number of trench related illnesses: trench fever, scabies and cellulites being the main culprits. He didn't return to the unit until after the Armistice where he'd be posted to the Canadian Labour Pool in the New Year.
838688 Acting Corporal Arthur Henry Kennett was struck off strength of the C.E.F. on August 19th, 1919. Returning to Canada Harry latterly passed away, aged 80, on November 5th, 1964. Both he and Kate are buried in the Thornbury and Clarksburg Union Cemetery.
Biography credit: George Auer, with thanks.