Born at Wollombi, NSW in 1774 to Peter and Margaret (nee O’Heara), John Hugh Kerr (Jack) was the 2nd of their 6 children. Jack married Catherine Fanning in 1915 at Dungog and resided at Martin’s Creek, West Maitland.
Working as a labourer, Jack enlisted with the 2nd Reinforcements, 34th Battalion at West Maitland (Rutherford), on the 4th of January 1916, aged 39 years and 8 months.
The 34th Battalion was formed in January 1916 during an expansion that took place after the Gallipoli campaign. The majority of the battalion’s personnel were volunteers that came from Maitland, New South Wales and as a result the unit became known as “Maitland’s Own”. Sailing straight to the UK, the battalion endured months of training on Salisbury Plain before arriving in France in November 1916. The battalion immediately took up a position on the front line on the 27 November 1916 to endure the worst winter Europe experienced in 40 years.
The 2nd Reinforcements departed Sydney aboard the ‘HMAT A15 Port Sydney’ on the 4th of September 1916 arriving at Plymouth on the 29th of October. Jack proceeded overseas from Folkstone on the 20th of December, arriving at Etaples the next day. He marched out to his unit on the 3rd of March 1917 and was taken on strength the next day, Jack was fortunate to have missed the cold winter at the front.
The battalion’s first major action came when the British shifted their focus towards the Ypres sector in Belgium and the 3rd Division was committed to the Battle of Messines as part of II Anzac Corps on the 7th of June. The 34th Battalion, along with the rest of the 9th Brigade, was tasked with leading the division’s assault. Beginning their approach march late on the 6th of June, they were caught in a German gas bombardment that inflicted heavy casualties. Nevertheless, they arrived at the line of departure on time and, after a number of mines were exploded in front of their positions, the assault began. Jack was ‘Wounded in Action’ during the bombardment and taken to the 9th Field Ambulance gassed and admitted to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station on the 7th. On the 8th he was transferred to the 47th General Hospital at Treport suffering ‘Saffocation Poison’. He was released to Base Details on the 26th of June and arrived at the 3rd ADHD, Rouelles the next day. On the 2nd of August he marched out to his unit where he rejoined it in the field on the 4th.
His return was short lived however, as on the 14th of August he reported sick to the 9th Field Ambulance with influenza and was again admitted to the 2nd CCS on the 21st of August. He was transferred to the 3rd General Hospital at Le Treport on the 23rd of August and to the 3rd Convalescent Hospital, Havre on the 11th of September. After being released to Base Details on the 20th of September, Jack arrived at 3 ABAD, Havre the next day.
While away from his unit, the 34th had been rotated between manning the front line and conducting training in the rear areas, before joining the Battle of Passchendaele on 12th of October. Despite a promising beginning for the Allies, by the time the 34th arrived, heavy rain had turned the battlefield into a muddy quagmire that hindered their advance and ultimately resulted in heavy casualties and limited gains for the 34th Battalion. It was on the 12th of October he marched out to rejoin his unit on the 13th, amongst the heat of this battle. Following the Battalion’s heavy losses, during the latter part of October, a reduced tempo period followed as the battalion was reformed throughout the remainder of 1917. In between resting, training and rotating through the front line, the 34th was used as labour in the rear areas as it was built back up to strength.
On the 8th of February 1918 John departed for leave in the UK, rejoining his unit on the 24th of February. In early spring 1918, the Germans launched a major offensive on the Western Front. Striking significant blows against the British southern flank, the Germans pushed the Allies back towards the vital Amiens railhead. As the situation became desperate for the Allies, the 9th Brigade was thrown into the line around Villers-Bretonneux to stop the Germans from splitting the British Fifth Army and the French First Army to their south. The 34th Battalion subsequently took part in heavy fighting when the Australians counterattacked at Hangard Wood on the 30th of March, before finally turning back the German attack on Villers-Bretonneux on 4 April. On the 3rd of April Jack was again ‘Wounded In Action’ and taken to the 74th Field Ambulance with gunshot wound to the thigh and was transferred to the CCS. On the 5th he was again transferred to the 3rd Stationary Hospital at Rouen and sadly, he died of his wounds on the 8th of April 1918.
The personal effects returned to Catherine were: Disc, Rosary, 1 Religious Medallion, 1 Razor, Metal Cigarette Case, Fountain Pen and Filler, 1 Pipe, 1 Religious Book, 1 Purse, Caeds, Photos, Letters.
