DEATH OF CAPT. D. J. KENNY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 173, 11 April 1918, Page 4

DEATH OF CAPT. D. J. KENNY

AFTER OPERATION FOR APPENDICITIS. It is only a few days sinco was published a long article by Mr. Malcolm Ross on tbc splendid efforts of a group of soldier-entertaiiiors, whose mission was to traverse the New Zealand sector of the lino and give "cheer-up" shows to the soldiers in their rest billets or at conveniently-placed villages, as often as not well within the sound of the guns. This travelling theatre, Mr. Ross said, was under the immediate direction of a machine-gun officer, who, in Wellington, was a leading "Savage" and musician. •

I That "Savage" officer was Captain ID. J. Kenny, of Wellington, nows of whose death, following an operation for appendicitis, reached ■ Wellington yesterday. Captain Kenny died at the (New Zealand) Waltoii-on-Thiimes Hospital on Sunday last. Tho sad news will be koenly felt by a very large circle of friends in Wellington and elsewhere, and also by the greater numj her of those who have fallen under i tho spell of Captain Kenny's abounding comedy sense. Tho late Captain Kenny was born in Lyttelton thirtyfive years ago, hut spent tho greater part of his fife in Wellington. Whilst quite a young student at St. Patrick's Collego ho showed a remarkable talent for music, and gained high honours in that institution as a student of tho pianoforte. There, too, ho gained a knowledge of brass instruments, as a member of St. Patrick's College Band and Orchestra, at ono time a feature of the institution. On leaving college ho still continued a devotee of music, and as a brilliant reader ho was in I great demand as au accompanist and j soloist. Later ho took up music as a i profession, and had rooms at the Brisi tol up .to tho outbreak of war. DnrI iiig tho last six years, Mr._ Kenny became very popular as a comic singer and amateur actor. Ho was appointed conductor of the Savago, Club's Orchostra and its official accompanist; was conductor of tho Wellington Amateur Operatic Society, and, .at one time, of St. Mary of tho Angels' and St. Gerard's Choirs, whore he also at different times officiated as organist. Mr. Kenny, who had great talent wedded to a humorous personality, showed himself no mean actor as the Baillie in the amateur performance of "Les Cloches do Corneville," and in many other parts which did not reach tho j purview of the general public. _ Added to his talent for music and mirth, Mr. Kenny bad a genial disposition and manly .qualities which made him osteemed and loved wherever he went. Though Irish by birth and temperament, it was his humour, on gaining a commission in tho Territorials, to join tho Highland Rifles, and few could resist a smile when Lieutenant Kenny was on parado in full regimentals. But his heart was right. Ho volunteered for service on the outbreak of war, and was a member of the expedition which raised tho British. Hag in German Samoa. •In 1915 bo returned to Wellington in charge of a party of German civilian prisoners from Samoa, and later wont to the front in Egypt and Franco. His talent as an entertainer was well known to General (Jodlev and other officers, and in France he was given tho unconventional appointment as Director of Divisional Entertainments, and as such organised the troupo of Pierrots, which brought a modicum of cheer to thousands of bravo hearts during last winter in France. At Christmas the little company essayed a pantomime, in which Captain Kenny figured comically as the tairy queen. The deceased, who was single, lost his father three years ago. His sistor is Mrs. Herman Lewis, formerly of the Lower Hutt.