F9280 Rifleman Michael Joseph McKenna was born in Greenfield, Prince Edward Island, on 23 August 1917, the son of Patrick Joseph McKenna and Laura Josephine. A Roman Catholic, he had two brothers (one in the navy) and four sisters. He completed grade 8 and left school at 16 to help his father with the family farm.

On 10 January 1940, he started his 30-day compulsory training with the reserves, re-enlisted on 28 August 1942 with the reserves in Charlottetown, then transferred to the active service in the 22nd Anti-Aircraft Battery on 28 November 1942. He trained at Aldershot, Yarmouth and Debert, Nova Scotia before reporting for duty in the United Kingdom on 21 Oct 1944 and being transferred to the infantry corps.

On 24 November 1944, McKenna arrived in Northwest Europe and was attached to the Headquarters of the 8 Canadian Infantry Brigade. On 15 March he was posted to The Queen’s Own Rifles.

Rifleman McKenna was first reported missing but later confirmed as killed in action on 6 April 1945, aged 27. He is buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference XII. F. 10. His family had the following engraved on his marker:

IN LOVING MEMORY
OF ONE WE SHALL NEVER FORGET,
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE