Pte
John Kerr
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 05/10/1884 |
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Place of birth: Middlebie, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Joiner |
Army information
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Country: Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: S/19744 |
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Enlistment date: 16/04/1917 |
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Enlistment place: Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Princess Louise’s (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders), 11th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 22/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Beck House, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 32 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 142A |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 02/06/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 02/06/1920 |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
John Kerr was a 32-year old joiner from Edinburgh, Midlothian, who fell during the Battle of Passchendaele. He got called up in April 1917 and was embedded with the 11th Battalion Princess Louise’s (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders), part of the 45th Brigade of the 15th (Scottish) Division.
The Division participated in the Battle of Passchendaele and on 22 August 1917 it attacked to the West of Zonnebeke with two Brigades, the 44th Brigade on the left and the 45th Brigade on the right. The attack of the 45th Brigade was carried by the 13th Royal Scots and the 11th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. They had to capture and consolidate four German strongpoints dubbed, Potsdam, Vampir, Beck House and Borry Farm.
At 4.45 a.m., zero hour, the British barrage and the attack commenced. By 6.50 a.m. the attack of the 11th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders had been checked in front of Beck House and Borry Farm, as the men were held up by machine-gun- and sniper fire, coming from these strongpoints. In the meanwhile the advance of the Royal Scots had also been checked at Potsdam and Vampir. Any further advance proved neigh to impossible and around noon it was decided to fall back to consolidate a line.
John Kerr was killed in action on 22 August 1917, during the attack on Beck House and Borry Farm. The 32-year old has no known grave, possibly because his Battalion was forced to retreat, leaving many of the fallen behind. Private John Kerr is remembered on panel 142A of the Tyne Cot Memorial.
The Division participated in the Battle of Passchendaele and on 22 August 1917 it attacked to the West of Zonnebeke with two Brigades, the 44th Brigade on the left and the 45th Brigade on the right. The attack of the 45th Brigade was carried by the 13th Royal Scots and the 11th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. They had to capture and consolidate four German strongpoints dubbed, Potsdam, Vampir, Beck House and Borry Farm.
At 4.45 a.m., zero hour, the British barrage and the attack commenced. By 6.50 a.m. the attack of the 11th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders had been checked in front of Beck House and Borry Farm, as the men were held up by machine-gun- and sniper fire, coming from these strongpoints. In the meanwhile the advance of the Royal Scots had also been checked at Potsdam and Vampir. Any further advance proved neigh to impossible and around noon it was decided to fall back to consolidate a line.
John Kerr was killed in action on 22 August 1917, during the attack on Beck House and Borry Farm. The 32-year old has no known grave, possibly because his Battalion was forced to retreat, leaving many of the fallen behind. Private John Kerr is remembered on panel 142A of the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 5
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"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 62-63. Sources used |
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/834757/kerr,-john/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
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War Diary Princess Louise’s (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders), 11th Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |