In Memory of
Patrick Joseph McKenna
Private,C/43716
Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, R.C.I.C.
who died 22 age
on 25 July 1943
Remembered with honour
AGIRA WAR CEMETERY, SICILY
AGIRA WAR CEMETERY, SICILY
Born on 17 Mar 1921, Glasgow, Glasgow City, Scotland
Son of Arthur and Annie McKenna, of Kingston, Ontario.
Patrick lived in Kingston, Ontario with his parents.
He was the oldest child in the family.
He had two younger sisters, and four younger brothers. The whole family was from Scottish descent.
Patrick enlisted in the Active Militia on the 31st of April 1939.
He served with the 32nd Field Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery and also with the Princess of Wales Own Regiment (MG) as a Lance Corporal before being transferred to the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, 2009-08-05
On the 25th of July the Hasty P's were ordered to take the road south of Nissoria. They entered Nissoria without any problems and then had to take a hill north of town. Here A and B Companies went uphill and soon B-Company observed an enemy post. The enemy strength at the hill was about Battalion size. The Germans immediately opened fire at B-Coy who were pinned down at the hill. This his was also known as objective Grizzly.
With help of A, C and D Companies the Hasty P's tried to hold their positions, but the mortar and machine gun fire became too heavy. Major Kennedy was sent back to Battalion to request for immediate artillery fire. In the meanwhile B-Company managed to take the post they at first observed and kill and capture Germans. The enemy mortars and various machine gun posts made it almost impossible to advance. They also discovered three Mark III tanks who were dug in and fired at them.The losses of the Battalion were heavy and even the C.O. was badly wounded in the leg by a mortar shell. He ordered a withdrawal which happened under covering fire of D-Company. A Section of B-Company, under Corporal Bullied, were unable to withdraw and remained within 40 yds of the enemy, unobserved, throughout the next day, returning the next night.
The Hasty P's casaulties in this engagement were fairly heavy, a number of men being killed and many wounded. Besides the C.O. three officers were evacuated with wounds.
It is most likely that Patrick was one of the men who were killed in action. Most of the men were initially buried near objective Grizzly when it was cleared of Germans. He was later reburied at Agira.
Find Grave, 2025-07-28
Information courtesy of the 