Beyond Praise

On Wednesday 8 November 2017, Wheatley Hill History Club launched their Thomas Kenny VC film, Beyond Praise, at the Gala Theatre, Durham. 

Thomas Kenny was in 13th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. He won his Victoria Cross medal whilst still a private, for action carried out in November 1915 when he rescued Lieutenant Philip Brown, who sadly died as he was being transported to a dressing station. Kenny survived the war and joined the Home Guard in the Second World War. He died in 1948.

Beyond Praise was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and has been produced in association with Lonely Tower Film and Media. It features interviews with local historians and family members (some of whom were at the screening), plus historical re-enactment. I was actually sat next to the man who played Kenny, his grandmother was so proud of him after seeing the film. There were also tiers of cupcakes, each with its own beautifully rendered icing sugar Victoria Cross.

Victoria Cross cup cake

You can watch the film and find out more about Thomas Kenny on the Wheatley Hill History Club’s website:
http://www.wheatley-hill.org.uk/thomaskennyvc/thomaskennytimeline.shtml

You can also look on the Durham at War website and see footage of the unveiling of Thomas Kenny’s VC paving stone:
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/11173/