William Kennedy was the eldest son of the Rev Samuel Guiler Kennedy and Christina Lary Kennedy. William Kennedy was born on 13th November 1892 in Wishaw, Lanark, Scotland. After the birth of their daughter Christina, the family moved to Belfast. William was educated at the Royal Belfast Academic Institution (R.B.A.I.), locally referred to as Inst. William Kennedy joined Northern Bank on 4th January 1910 at Head Office in Belfast. He worked in Magherafelt in (1911), Shaftesbury Square (1912) and Head Office – relief (1912). At the outbreak of war he enlisted in Belfast along with his younger brother. His younger brother James was killed on the Somme on 1st July 1916. Rifleman William Kennedy was killed in action on 7th June 1917.
Spanbroekmolen British Cemetery is located 8 Km south of Ieper town centre, on a road leading from the Rijselseweg N365, which connects Ieper to Wijtschate and onto Armentieres. From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat runs from the market square, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort) and directly over the crossroads with the Ieper ring road. The road name then changes to the Rijselseweg. On reaching the village of Wijtschate the first right hand turning is the Hospicestraat leading onto the village square. The Wijtschatestraat leads from the village square, 1.5 Km beyond which lies the Scheerstraat on the left hand side. The cemetery itself lies 500 metres along the Scheerstraat on the left hand side of the road. Visitors to this site should note the 200 metre grassed access path which is unsuitable for vehicles.
