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WITH THE IMMORTAL SEVENTH DIVISION
By the Rev. E.J. KENNEDY
Chaplain Major to The Expeditionary Force.
With a Preface by the Right Reverend
the LORD BISHOP OF WINCHESTER
HODDER AND STOUGHTON
LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO
MCMXVI
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PREFACE
This little record bears the impress of the character of its writer—simple,
manly, open-hearted towards man, and devout towards God.
I have read a great part of it with keen interest. Written without strain, from
fresh personal experience, and with great sympathy for the officers and men of
our Army, it gives a very lively picture of a chaplain's work at the Front, and
the scenes and conditions under which it is done.
Mr. Kennedy's commanding stature, and fine physical manhood, gave him advantages
which his fine character and genial nature used, by God's grace, to the best
effect.
Having known him, and admired him from the time when I admitted him to Priest's
Orders in South London, down to the day when at my request he addressed our
Diocesan Conference upon the challenge given to the Church by the war, and the
claims and needs of the men of our Army returning from the Front,—a subject on
which he glowed with eagerness,—it is a happiness to me to bespeak for his words
an attention which will certainly be its own reward.
I trust the book may do a little to lessen the loss which (to human vision) the
best interests of our country and her people have suffered by his early and
unexpected death.
EDW. WINTON.
Farnham Castle, November, 1915.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Chaplain Major E.J. Kennedy, the writer of this little book, returned to his
parish of St. John the Evangelist, Boscombe, in September 1915, having completed
his year's service with the Expeditionary Force. Fired with a deep sense of the
need of rousing the Home Church and Land to a clearer realization of the
spiritual needs of 'Our Men' and armed with the approval of the Archbishop of
Canterbury and the approval and consent of his Diocesan, he determined to spend
a certain amount of his time in the strenuous work of lecturing up and down the
country, in addition to his many parochial duties. Immediately on his return he
plunged into this work, without taking any rest after his arduous labours at the
Front. On Tuesday, October 19, he was lecturing in Liverpool and Birkenhead. On
Wednesday he was taken ill, and on Thursday he returned home. On the following
Monday he succumbed to the disease which doubtless he contracted at the Front.
In the passing of Major Kennedy the Church and Nation have lost a man who could
ill be spared. So simple in his faith, so fearless and powerful in his
preaching, he was a man who wielded an influence almost unique in this country.
Those who have been benefited by his ministry are not counted by hundreds but by
tens of hundreds. His influence with the men at the Front was extraordinary. A
soldier writes, 'I was awfully sorry to hear of Mr. Kennedy's death. It came so
sudden too. I expect he would not wish for a better death than dying practically
in his country's cause. He will be greatly missed, his place will not be easily
filled. Unfortunately there are not many men of his stamp in the world. He was
"white" all through, a thing as rare as it is valuable. He was a real manly
Christian gentleman.' This letter is typical of hundreds which have been
received from all parts of the world, including the Front, so wide and far
reaching was the sweep of his influence.
Of him it may be truly said, 'He was God's man.' Many in all schools of thought
and walks of life, as they think of him to-day will unconsciously say to
themselves what the poet has expressed—
"This is the happy warrior, this is he Whom every man in arms should wish to
be." Well done! thou good and faithful servant.
J.H.
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. The Seventh Division
CHAPTER II The Trek through Belgium
CHAPTER III The Welcome of a People
CHAPTER IV A Chapter of Incidents
CHAPTER V The First Battle of Ypres
CHAPTER VI Concerning Officers and Men
CHAPTER VII The Work of a Chaplain in the Field
CHAPTER VIII The Care of the Wounded
CHAPTER IX Work at the Base
CHAPTER X A Closing Word
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