A Second War ‘Meiktila - Burma operations’ M.C. group of five awarded to Major R. B. Kennard, Royal Deccan Horse, a Sherman Tank commander who distinguished himself throughout the campaign, and who suffered wounds to both legs when his Sherman was hit by anti-tank fire. After the war he commanded the bodyguard of C. Rajagopalachari, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nardu and the first Governor of West Bengal

Military Cross, G.VI.R. reverse officially dated ‘1946’, with Royal Mint case of issue, damaged; 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. Oak Leaf; India Service Medal, mounted in two rows for wear, with riband bar, generally very fine

Smithfield Club, a silver award medal after W. Wyon, bust of Earl Spencer left, rev. bust of Duke of Richmond right, named (Revd. R. Bruce Kennard, Marnhill Rectory, Blandford, Dorset. As Breeder Best Beast In Class XIV. 1872.), 49mm., very fine; together with Death of the Duke of Wellington, 1852, a bronze medal by T.R. Pinches, bust left, rev. legend in four lines within wreath, 52mm, nearly very fine (lot) £700-900

M.C. London Gazette 6 June 1946, the recommendation states:

‘Major R. B. Kennard commanded his Sqn. in every operation in which he was engaged from the crossing of the Irrawaddy up till the capture of Rangoon. Throughout this period his leadership, soldierly qualities and example were always of the highest order. His Sqn. was involved in some of the hardest fighting in and around Meiktila and in one battle to relieve the airfield on March the 16th, and 17th he and his 2nd in command had their tanks set on fire by close range A/Tk fire. His 2nd in command was killed and he, though wounded in both legs by mortar fire rallied the force on his feet and saw to the evacuation of the Infantry wounded. His Sqn. also played a very prominent part in the clearing of the village of Pyinbongyi and the capture of Pegu. Never once, in spite of at one time having only five tanks battle-worthy in his Sqn., did his determination to get at and kill the enemy diminish. His cheerful acceptance of difficulties and his fine example of leadership was at all times an example to his Sqn. and the whole Regiment and deserves the highest recognition.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 9 May 1946.

Robert Bruce Kennard was the son of Stanley Bruce, and the grandson of the Reverend Robert Bruce Kennard of Nash Court, Marnhull, Dorset. Kennard was born in Sturminster, Dorset in June 1913. He was educated at Wellington College and R.M.C. Sandhurst, before being commissioned Second Lieutenant into the British Army February 1933. The following year he travelled to India to take up a commission in the Indian Army, and was posted as Lieutenant to the Royal Deccan Horse.

Kennard served with the Regiment during the Second War, with horses being replaced for mechanical transport in June 1940. He advanced to Captain in February 1941, and served with the Regiment as part of 255th Indian Armoured Brigade. Kennard, advanced to Temporary Major, and distinguished himself as a Sherman Tank Squadron Commander during the Meiktila campaign in Upper Burma in 1945. In particular on 16-17 March 1945, when commanding ‘C’ Squadron in support of 99 Indian Infantry Brigade:

‘The next day the Brigade task was to clear the villages of Nyaunggon, Kandainbauk, Shawbyugan and Kungyangon. In all these villages were Jap infantry and guns, in some strength. ‘C’ Squadron consisted of Headquarters and one troop with a troop of ‘A’ Squadron (Lieutenant R. F. Sherwill) under command.

The Squadron moved at speed across the open paddy fields from Nyaunggon to Kungyangon carrying a company of 1/3 Gurkhas on the tanks. The whole way across shells were bursting and armour-piercing rounds landing all round the tanks, but the only casualty to tanks or infantry was an armour-piercing round which pierced the turret of Jemadar Nand Singh’s tank and killed him. Kungyangon was captured without much opposition.

A second company of 1/3 Gurkhas came up and ‘C’ Squadron moved over with the two companies to attack Shawbyugan from the north. On the way over another tank (Jemadar Mohd. Ashraf’s) was knocked out. When the companies and Squadron reached the north edge of Shawbyugan they found the whole village blazing furiously and tanks could obviously not move through it. So one troop was ordered to move down the east side of the village and one down the west. Squadron Headquarters moved down a road through the middle of the village.

After advancing 500 yards the troop that was on the west side of the village was held up by an uncrossable nullah, so they were ordered to pull back and follow the other troop down the east side of the village.

Squadron Headquarters’ two tanks nearly reached the south end of the village. They halted to shoot at a lot of Japs in a nullah and were both hit and instantly “brewed up”. Captain J. W. Younger and Major R. B. Kennard’s gunner, Sr. Ali Mohd., were killed by a mortar bomb as they baled out and Major Kennard and his operator were both wounded.

Meanwhile the troops to the east of the village had another tank hit and “brewed up” and Lieutenant R. F. Sherwill’s tank got stuck in the nullah. At 17.30 hrs it was evident that there was no hope of clearing the village before nightfall and the force was ordered to withdraw.’ (Royal Deccan Horse, Account of Operations in Burma, January to May 1945)

Kennard left the Royal Deccan Horse before the partition of India, and was appointed to command the bodyguard of C. Rajagopalachari, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nardu and the first Governor of West Bengal (who later served as India’s last Governor General). Kennard resigned his commission in September 1948, and trained and raced horses in India. He briefly returned to England, before moving to Australia in 1952. Kennard continued to train horses in his new found home, until returning to the UK in 1977. He subsequently moved to Lambourn and continued to work with horses. Kennard attended a Regimental reunion in India as a guest of the Indian Army in 1984, and died in Lambourn, 14 March 2010.

Sold with the following related items and documents: Royal Deccan Horse shoulder title; silver cufflinks with RDH motif on both panels; RDH lapel badge; a fine selection of mostly annotated pre-war, and Second War Burma campaign service photographs of the recipient and the regiment; recipient’s Certificate of Affiliation with the Masonic Lodge of St. James in the East; a copy of Royal Deccan Horse, Account of Operations in Burma, January to May 1945; a typed five page account The Deccan Revisited believed to be by Lieutenant-Colonel T. Mudie; with copied research and other ephemera.