Robert Kerr

Forenames

Robert AWMM

Surname

Kerr AWMM

Service number

South African 9351 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Religion

Church of England, Christian AWMM

Birth

20 Jun 1876 AWMM

Address before enlistment

South African Pre 09 Apr 1902 AWMM Gordon Street, Sydenham, Christchurch, New Zealand AWMM

Post war occupation

Peanut farmer/Civilian AWMM

Relationship status

Pre 14 Apr 1902 AWMM Single AWMM

War

• South African War, 1899-1902 AWMM
• World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

South African 9351 AWMM

Medals and Awards

Queen's South Africa Medal (South Africa 1902 clasp) AWMM

Enlistment

South Africa 09 Apr 1902 AWMM
Age  25 AWMM
Traction engine driver/Civilian AWMM

Embarkation details

• South Africa Vessel was Drayton Grange AWMM Private AWMM 10 Contingent, F Squadron AWMM 10th Contingent AWMM
• South Africa South African Overseas Expeditionary Force AWMM
  2nd Embarkation AWMM

Medical notes

• Height, Unknown Period AWMM
  5 feet 4 inches AWMM
• Weight, Unknown Period AWMM
  9 stone 8 pounds AWMM
• Chest expansion, Unknown Period AWMM
  35.5 inches AWMM
• Died of Disease, Cause of Death AWMM
  Tuberculosis AWMM

Last rank

South Africa End of term of service AWMM

• Discharged in South Africa, he remained living in Johannesburg.
  
  Served in British West Africa with the South African Forces during WW1 where he contracted tuberculosis.
  
  He died in Switzerland where he had been receiving treatment.
  
  Died in Geneva
  
  Father was named John James Kerr. AWMM
• Uncle of Sydney Walter Josland, Service Number 30858.
  Public - David Josland - Other relative - 16 July 2018 - Family papers.

Death

7 Apr 1923 AWMM
Age  46 AWMM

Cause of death

Died of Disease AWMM

Cemetery

Cimetiere de St-Georges, Geneva, Switzerland AWMM Ashes Box 16, in the old Columbarium AWMM

Obituary

Obituary. Mr Robert Kerr. Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17820, 20 July 1923, page 11.

Mr Robert Kerr, whose death took place at Geneva, Switzerland, on April 7th last, of malarial fever, was a New Zealander. He was the fifth son of John and the late Amelia Kerr, of Dunsandel, where he was born and educated. When the South African war broke out he enlisted and fought throughout the war, taking his discharge in 1902. He spent several years in Johannesburg, where he followed his occupation of engineer. In 1916 he went to British East Africa, where he acquired agriculture land in the Kenya Colony. He then joined the East African M.T.C., served in British East Africa and German East Africa during the late war. In June, 1921, he decided to go to England to see Mr Spahlinger for T.B. trouble. He was enthusiastic over the treatment, and furnished Sir James Allen with a report for the use of the New Zealand Government; also another report for Sir Arthur Steel Maitland, late Under-Secretary for the Colonies, who was investigating Spahlinger's work. Mr Kerr had been under treatment in Geneva for some time and was examined by dozens of doctors, who all pronounced him to be cured of the complaint. The late Mr Kerr intended visiting his native country early this spring, and the news of his death came as a great shock to his relatives.

Public - David Josland - Other relative - 19 June 2019 - Obituary. Mr Robert Kerr. Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17820, 20 July 1923, page 11.

Memorial name

Memorial stone, Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, New Zealand AWMM

Related objects

External links

• Military personnel file
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R20521249
  Further Reference
• New Zealand History online. New Zealand in the South (Boer) War
  https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/south-african-boer-war/introduction
  Further Reference

References

• Information kindly provided by family
  Cenotaph data entry form
• Stowers, R. (2002). Rough Riders at War: history of New Zealand's involvement in the Anglo-Boer war 1899-1902 and information on all members of the ten New Zealand contingents. Author: Hamilton, N.Z.