Alexander Lorimer Kennedy

Alexander Lorimer Kennedy was born on 23 April 1889 at Woodside, South Australia. [1]

Kennedy was still a science student at the University of Adelaide when he was selected by Douglas Mawson to join the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) of 1911-1913. He received special tuition to enable him to serve as the Western Party’s magnetician. He took part in several sledging excursions and was cartographer for Wild’s main eastern journey. [2]

In 1914, a year after his return to Australia, Kennedy was appointed as magnetic observer for the Carnegie Institute, Washington.

Kennedy completed a Bachelor of Engineering degree at the University of Adelaide in 1915. [3]

While at University he was a member of the Adelaide University Boat Club [4], winning a Blue in 1908 [5].  He was also on the Intervarsity Rifle Shooting Team.

He was a 26 year old draughtsman when he enlisted on 30 August 1915. He was commissioned on 27 November 1915 and embarked for overseas as a Second Lieutenant with the No 3 Company, No. 1 Mining Corps from Sydney on 20 February 1916 aboard HMAT Ulysses. [6]

While serving with the 3rd Tunnelling Company in France, he was wounded in action and evacuated to England but later returned to his unit in France. Kennedy arrived back in Australia on 4 June 1919. [7]

For four years from 1921 Kennedy was ‘chief assistant’ at Adelaide Observatory, followed by a two-year stint at the newly-established Mt Stromlo Observatory, Australian Capital Territory. [8]

Working as a mining engineer in Western Australia from 1928, Kennedy returned to the Antarctic in 1930 joining some of his former AAE colleagues on the second British, Australian, New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE) voyage as a physicist. [9]

Kennedy died in Perth, Western Australia in 1972.

Cape Kennedy (Latitude: 6630S; Longitude: 09832E) is named after Alexander. [10]

Notes:

1. Virtual War Memorial Australia (VWMA) - https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/286013 - Accessed 21 February 2021
2. Home of the Blizzard - https://mawsonshuts.antarctica.gov.au/western-party/the-people/alexander-lorimer-kennedy/ - Accessed 21 February 2021
3. ibid
4. VWMA, op cit.
5. Adelaide University Boat Club website - https://www.aubc.asn.au/blues-award/ - Accessed 21 February 2021
6. VWMA, op cit.
7. Ibid
8. Home of the Blizzard, op cit
9. ibid
10. Cool Antarctica - https://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/History/biography/kennedy_alexander.php - Accessed 21 February 2021