Born in the parish of St. Lawrence, Carrickenlist, Co. Limerick, c.1827.
Enlisted at Limerick on the 4th of March 1847.
Age: 20.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Labourer.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Brown hair.
He is said to have been severely wounded in action at Balaclava.
He was sent to Scutari on the 26th of October and rejoined the regiment on the 14th of December 1854.
In his "Descriptive Account of the Charge", 1131 John Doyle refers to his being wounded:
"There was an officer who dashed into the centre of us when the Russian Lancers came down on our left, and wounded a man of ours named Kennedy; he took the skin off one side of his head."
Embarked for the Crimea aboard the H.T. "Medora" on the 27th of April 1854.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.
Discharged from Canterbury on the 4th of October 1864, as:
"Unfit for further service. Has acute rheumatism, the disability having been caused by military service and has not been aggravated by vice or intemperance. Will not be able to work sufficiently to gain a living."
Served 17 years 198 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 7 months
In India: 6 years 1 month.
Conduct: "good".
In possession of three Good Conduct badges.
Fifteen times entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Never tried by Court-martial.
He was awarded a pension of 10d. per day.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol. An entry by the side of his clasp entitlement states, "Slightly wounded in the arm at Balaclava. No court-of-enquiry was held." [sic]
Mutiny medal with clasp for Central India.
Served at Kotah.
Richard Kennedy died in a Lunatic Asylum at Limerick, Ireland, on the 7th of November 1868.
According to his death certificate the cause of death was "Cerebral congestion, resulting in epilepsy". He was shown as being 43 years of age, a "widower", and an Army pensioner.
(There is a copy of his death certificate in the "Certificates" file.)