The Honour and the Shame

Many years after becoming the youngest person ever to be awarded the VC for attacking a company of Panzer Grenadiers on his own an action that proved a turning point in one of the major battles of the Second World War John Kenneally made an extraordinary confession. The courageous hero of the Irish Guards, who had taken on a whole company single-handed was not, in fact, John Kenneally at all but Leslie Jackson, the illegitimate son of Neville Blond and Gertrude Robinson (a 'high-class whore'), who had deserted his former regiment, the Honourable Artillery Company.

In THE HONOUR AND THE SHAME, he tells his story with great verve and frankness a story of riotous living, great courage on the front line and intense loyalties. Full of the escapades of battle from the triumphant Tunisian campaign to the bloodbath of Anzio and the many adventures of a freewheeling youth, THE HONOUR AND THE SHAME is a vivid portrait of a fascinating man.

“"For readers of wartime memoirs, this one's a winner."”

"Avery welcome reprint of one of the most amazing VC biographies to have been written." The Victoria Cross Society"
"Booklist""
"A very welcome reprint of one of the most amazing VC biographies to have been written." --The Victoria Cross Society

John Kenneally was awarded the VC during the Tunisian campaign in the Second World War. He was promoted sergeant after the fall of Tunis and later wounded during the battle of Anzio in February 1944. He subsequently joined the 1st Guards Parachute Battalion, and went out to Palestine. Tempted to join the Israeli forces, thoughts of his wife and two sons, and his loyalty to the Guards, kept him from doing so. After the war, he had a successful career in the motor industry.

Many years after becoming the youngest person ever to be awarded the VC for attacking a company of Panzer Grenadiers on his own an action that proved a turning point in one of the major battles of the Second World War John Kenneally made an extraordinary confession. The courageous hero of the Irish Guards, who had taken on a whole company single-handed was not, in fact, John Kenneally at all but Leslie Jackson, the illegitimate son of Neville Blond and Gertrude Robinson (a 'high-class whore'), who had deserted his former regiment, the Honourable Artillery Company. In THE HONOUR AND THE SHAME, he tells his story with great verve and frankness a story of riotous living, great courage on the front line and intense loyalties. Full of the escapades of battle from the triumphant Tunisian campaign to the bloodbath of Anzio and the many adventures of a freewheeling youth, THE HONOUR AND THE SHAME is a vivid portrait of a fascinating man.

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