Road rededicated in memory of WW2 naval hero

A road in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, has been rededicated in memory of a Royal Navy Second World War hero.

Captain Edward Coverley Kennedy was killed in battle 82 years ago, as his armed merchant cruiser, HMS Rawalpindi, was sunk by two German battlecruisers south of Iceland on 23 November 1939.

Capt Kennedy's ship confronted the vessels despite Nazi demands to surrender, as it attempted to enforce the naval blockade against the German navy in the Atlantic.

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The sinking of Rawalpindi killed 263 men, including her captain who was mentioned in dispatches, the Navy said.

Kennedy Avenue was previously thought to be named after American president John F Kennedy, as it served as the main road through the former US base, RAF Daws Hill.

The Navy said most personnel who served there were convinced the road name honoured the US president who was assassinated in 1963.

Capt Kennedy's only surviving daughter, Kathleen Calvocoressi, was there to rededicate the road on Tuesday.

Speaking of her father's bravery, she said: "His courageous action was widely admired as upholding the great traditions of the Royal Navy, inspiring the nation in one of the darkest periods of its history."