Thomas Kennedy

Sir John Doyle's great friend: his obituary in The United Services Magazine.

1849. Dec. 18th, Colonel Thomas Kennedy, at Guernsey, aged 70 years, He entered the Militia as an Ensign in March, 1795, joined the 36th Regiment as a Captain with temporary rank in 1799, upwards of 100 men having volunteered to serve with him; in October, 1802, the officers serving with temporary rank were reduced upon Half Pay. Upon the breaking out of the war, he volunteered to resign his Captain's Half Pay for an Ensigncy with permanent rank. His offer was accepted, and his Royal Highness the Commander in Chief graciously appointed him to a Lieutenancy in the Royal Fusiliers. In this Regiment he served at Copenhagen in 1807, and upon his return to England was promoted to a Company in the Sicilian Corps, and a few days after was removed to the 96th Regiment. In 1808 he was sent by Lord Castlereagh on a mission to Spain, where he was employed to carry on the correspondence between the British Government and the Galician authorities. He also assisted to organize the Spanish Troops, and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Col. in that Service. Upon the arrival of the Army from England at Corunna, Sir David Baird placed him upon the Quartermaster General's staff. He was appointed Aide-de-Camp to Sir John Doyle in 1805, upon his return from Copenhagen in 1807, and a third time upon his return with the Army from Corunna in 1809.


Deputy Quartermaster General under Doyle, he is buried in Candie Cemetery.