Lest We Forget- Anzac Day 2016

Today in Australia 25/4 we remember ANZAC DAY commemorating those and especially the ANZACs  (Australian New Zealand Army Corps) who fought in the Wars.

While we were in England we visited the Museum of the Lancaster Fusiliers,Bury. Steve's Grandfather James Edward Cassidy was in the 1/7 Fusiliers and while he was in Egypt at the time of the terrible Gallipoli attack he arrived in Gallipoli 4th May, landed 5th May & went into action on 6th May 1915. He was wounded 4th June 1915 by an explosive bullet (head, arm & near heart). His heart was 'saved' by medal in tunic pocket. After six weeks in hospital in Malta it was back to Alexandria, and Gallipoli until Christmas 1915. Of the 1,500 British soldiers who landed at Gallipoli, only 98 survived. Steve's  Great Uncle Harry Duckworth was also in the 1/7th.

Not to detract from Australia's day of rememberance of this Great War I wanted to share this with my readers.

Placque at the Fusiliers Museum explaining their own tragedy at Gallipoli

As we watch the marches here in Australia we are obviously not alone - British communities especially Bury are holding memorials in their own churches today.

Outside the Museum hung copies of the War posters. Stirring stuff. Is it any wonder men lined up in Britain, Australia and New Zealand to sign up with the support of their women folk? Would such patriotism and honour  happen today??
Hopefully it will never come to that  again- ever.

 LEST WE FORGET. WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Steve in the Memorial Garden at the Bury Fusiliers Museum August 2014

Mark Strelley Fryar 1/5/1892-20/6/1931 and Caroline Isabella (Molly ) Fryar 9/1/1896-9/1/1985 Prisoner of War and VAD Nurse

For each story in this WWI series I have tried to have a different focus or story type. This is of a  sister Caroline Isabella Fryar who was a nurse with the Voluntary Aid Detachment and her brother  Mark Strelley Fryar who became a WW1 prisoner of war in Germany.

Mark Strelley Fryar had trained in OTC at Malvern College. In May 1911 he joined the 1/5^th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiments).  This territorial regiment was mobilised for war service on 5/8/14 when Mark was 23. The Division concentrated in the Luton area, with the 5th Sherwoods at Harpenden. By mid August after preparing for overseas service in Braintree they proceeded to France. They landed at Boulogne on 25th February and joined the British Expeditionary Force at Ypres. On the 12th of May the Division was retitled 46th (North Midland) Division. 

Mark Strelley Fryar

Less than 4 months after landing at Ypres he was wounded at Dickebuse.



In early August his parents, Mark and Louise, received a telegram to say that he was in a POW camp in Gutersloh, Germany. At first he had been reported missing on 1^st July in the Newspaper  and then as a prisoner. Major Checkland when writing to his parents re the event stated "He went forward with the Lewis guns and was seen near a German parapet giving instructions to his men. It is believed at this time he was wounded".

Mark's story is recorded in "A Lack of Offensive Spirit? The 46th (North Midland) Division" by Alan MacDonald p392-4

Owing to smoke he and his Captain were separated from the rest of the Battalion. Captain Lewes was hit three times and while Fryar and his men took other action to secure their safety they needed to lay low until cover of darkness or reinforcements appeared. The Germans kept bombing them until 11am and sent an English speaking soldier to say he would take them prisoners. They were out of ammunition and by 12.30 they were being shelled by their own forces. He talked with the injured Lewes and they decided to give in asking the Germans to help them with their wounded. They would not and just looked on. They carried the semi- conscious Captain out but he died the next morning. Mark gave his account in an interview after his return from POW camp on 10th December 1918.

 " It is believed at this time he was wounded"

After attempting to escape in May he was recaptured and received 30 days solitary confinement for his efforts. From there he was sent to Fort Zorndorf in Austria for 7 months.

He was promoted to Captain on 17th June 1917.

On 19^th March 1918 he escaped again while at the Schweidnitz Camp but was caught getting on a train. Eventually he was interned and repatriated through Holland in early October 1918 returning home to England on 2^nd November 1918 and finally repatriated on 22th Nov1918. There is a comment in the footnotes of MacDonald's book that he was court-martialled for mutiny and for forging passports but I cannot find more at present on this. As his grave refers to him as the late Captain of the Sherwood Foresters possibly all was forgiven.

His sister Caroline Isabella Fryar (Molly) was with the Voluntary Aid Detachment. The role of the Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses and assistants were to provide nursing and medical assistance during a time of war.  VADs worked in a variety of roles which included nursing assistants, ambulance drivers, chefs, and administration .

Whilst most VADs worked within Britain, some were posted overseas such as those with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France during the Great War.  During wartime the VAD organisation was administered by the Joint War Committee of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John.  The numbers of women serving as VADs were around 70 -100,000.

While Molly’s wartime records are unavailable, her medal roll references her as a part of the Territorial Force Nursing Service (TFNS) in the 1(a) theatre of War . This is indicative of serving in the Western Front- France and Flanders.  

She was most likely a War nurse and a relative referred to her as driving ambulances during the war. So it could be assumed she was in France performing some sort of medical role. Her dates were recorded as serving from 20/7/1917 to 22/10/1919.

Caroline Isabella (Molly)  Fryar

Molly returned to England nearly one year after her brother.  Since I heard about Molly through family connections I thought she sounded like a “gutsy” sort. More recently I heard she was a spy in the Second World War. Apparently she was parachuted into France to spy behind enemy lines being  part of the Special Operations Executive which was based in secret headquarters at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire. (Source Greg Strelley)

Now I’d like to hear more about that!! Please contact me if you know more - kanahookarob@yahoo.com.au

The Strelley and Fryar families would be proud of Mark and Molly. Neither married or had children so recording their stories feels right.  Mark was killed aged 40 in a cycle accident 20^th June 1931. Molly lived to a ripe old age dying on her birthday in 1985 at age 89.

Whilst visiting Derby last year my husband and I visited Mark and Molly's graves which are situated amongst the family plots for the Fryars and the Strelleys.

Mark and Molly's Grave in Derby

Richard Upton 11/9/1880-3/5/1915- First Class Flying Licence

Sergeant Richard Upton came from an Army background. He was the fourth son of Captain Richard Upton of the the 4th Batt Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Reg). His father had also been in the Political and Secret Department of HM India Office. He was also the grandson of Richard Clayton Strelley of Oakerthorpe fame.

After a good education he became a Master Mariner with the Straits SS Service L.F. after passing through his apprenticeship. He was the Commodore of a fleet of 17 boats.

He decided  to obtain his flying qualifications and after attending the Graham White School of Flying. on 26/8/1914 he was issued with a  First Class Flying Licence. At this time war had broken out.

On 26/8/1914 he was issued with a  First Class Flying Licence

His previous experience enabled him to  join the Legion of Frontiersmen a type of patriotic paramilitary group. Membership was limited to "men of good conduct who have Frontier, Military or Sea Training."

Recruitment poster for the Legion

He left for  France where he worked free lance with the Red Cross Society. When he joined the Royal Flying Corps Service number 2556, he was immediately made a Sergeant.

Unfortunately,his flying career was cut short as while he was on  active service he contracted pneumonia  and died in Tideworth Military Hospital, UK on 3/5/1915. He was unmarried.

Robert John "Bert" Wright 1899-1978

Robert John "Bert" Wright was only 15 when the war broke out in Europe. While he waited until he was "old enough" to enlist he worked as a sheet metal worker in Marrickville.  He turned 17 on 23 December 1916. A document dated 9 January just 17 days later bears his father's signature and permission to enlist.

The photo below shows Robert all of 5 feet 4 1/4 inches looking like he should grow into his hat and jacket. So his attestation papers show him as aged  18 1/2 years. It appears he snuck his way into the Army by doing three months service in the Militia. The family story goes that he would have joined under another name if his family didnt let him go.  After being pronounced "dentally fit" at 17 1/2 years  he embarked on the "Militades" on 9th July 1917 arriving in Glasgow on 2nd October.

Robert John Wright WWI

It doesn't appear that he was injured at all during his service with records of  only routine treatment of scabies and tonsillitis, diahorea and flu.

Bert's  service number was 3398. His records show his original Battalion was the 8th Reinforcement for the 36th Battalion which was sent to Rouelle, France. In 29/6/1918 he transferred to the 33rd Battalion and on 28/7/1918 he was again transferred to 34th Battalion. Obviously huge casualties caused amalgamation of troop battalions. All were fighting in France.

Probably as a result of  entering the war effort so late in the piece Bert was quite slow in returning to Australia.  The long wait for his demobilisation and return to Australia is shown in this letter in August 1919 where  his concerned mother had written to the Army. It was not until 5 January 1920 that he commenced his return to Australia on the"Cap Verde" which finally arrived on 29 February 1920.

A concerned mother writes to the Army about her boy

Upon his confirmation of discharge in March 1920 records note that he complained of some pain over the heart. This was put down to a curse of the war- excessive cigarette smoking. This  probably contributed to the heart condition he died of in 1978.

He met and married Maude Rose Gadsby at Marrickville in 1923.  They had a daughter - Betty Wright who will was born in 1925 and supplied the cherished photo of this brown haired, brown eyed boy above who was champing at the bit to join the war effort.

Bert enlisted again in World War II by which time he was 40 years old. Although his records are not yet available at the war memorial. We do know he was a transport driver in the Air Force.

Bert in WW2

Andrew Yuill Kerr 1892-1959 Military Medal (Kerr Boys cont)

Born in 1892, Andrew was unmarried and living with his parents James Francis Kerr and Agnes Kerr in the 1911 census. He worked as a chauffeur for his cab proprietor father. A little over 3 years later he enlisted at Grove Park in the Army Services Corps (ASC) on 8 December 1914 aged 22. 

Thus continues the story of the Kerr men going to war. Andrew was the second youngest of the five sons James Francis lent to the war effort. 

"He would return a hero."

Like his brothers, he was singled out for service in the British Expeditionary Force for his ability as a motor car driver. In under a month he had embarked on the SS  Munston at Avonmouth on New Year's Eve 1914, arriving at Le Havre, North Western France on 4 January 1915. In France he was initially posted to the 1^st District Field Ambulance operating in the Frontline.

From 24/8/15 he was appointed to the 141^st Field Ambulance and was responsible for casualties. The Field Ambulance were mobile units responsible for movement of casualties and operated to provide treatment for wounds or sickness from no man’s land to dressing stations and later hospitals.  Basically there were stretcher bearers relaying casualties for miles to a station where the injured soldier could have wounds tended to. For example there were Bearer Relay posts, Regimental Aid Posts, Advanced Dressing Stations and Main Dressing Stations. 

Andrew’s service number M2/ 021524 denotes he was a driver of a Motor Ambulance evacuating wounded.  The official April War diary of the 141 Field Ambulance now kept at the National archives, London England (reference WO95/1259) gives information about Andrew's activities at the hospital at Gwalia farm in April 1918 around the time of great casualties. I have a full digital copy of this Diary if you care to contact me. Basically the Field ambulance moved with the Army according to its position in the Front. The Field Ambulance either commandeered farms and farmhouse buildings or set up in marquees along the French countryside as needed.

"gallantry and devotion to duty in action." 

On 6 April 1918 Andrew and some others rejoined the unit from a temporary duty with Number One Field Ambulance. His location was Gwalia Farm which was a Main Dressing Station. His unit moved to Chocques. On 9 April however there was a spike of 251 wounded and another 26 the next day. Wounded dropped until 18 April when it is recorded there were 23 sick and a staggering 493 wounded.  Large numbers of wounded ranging between 21 and 155 each day continued to pass through the unit until the end of the month. It was during this time on 22 April 1918 that the Corps Commander awarded the Military Medal to Private J.L. Wilson and Private A.Y.  Kerr for “gallantry and devotion to duty in action. “  His record also mentions  the award of Good conduct medals.

Below is the acknowledgement  for the Military Medal forwarded to Andrew after his return  to Scotland in June 1920. The medal was granted for Bravery in the Field.

Acknowledgement of receipt of the medal

When the war finished it looks as though he was caught up in the slow process of demobilization.  At demobilization he was  in Bonn, Germany. His papers show that he was demobilised on 25 May 1919 and we can see from this form that because Andrew is moving to a Class ‘Z’ Reserve status, he would be obliged to return to the Army if called. This fitness status seems to confirm that he was not injured during the war. 

Part of the demobilization paperwork

Returning to Denistoun in Glasgow, his war records signed by the Lt Col of the 141^st of Field Ambulance described him as "exceedingly good motor driver". Upon his return he resumed work as a chauffeur and married Mary Brian Johnstone on the 24th November 1920. Mary was the sister of Hannah Johnstone who had married Andrew's older brother David in 1904. Two brothers married two sisters.

Andrew and Mary adopted a child, Anthony Kerr in 1927 and he in turn gave them a granddaughter Catherine Kerr. Andrew continued to drive taxis and died aged 67 in 1959 of Sigmoid colon cancer. Mary outlived him.

Andrew's Military Medal

The Military Medal was given to David’s daughter and Mary's namesake, Mary Bryan Kerr. Mary or May as she was known in turn passed it to her grandson, Kelly Jorgensen who was a Lieutenant  in the New Zealand Army. “He regularly wears the medal to commemorative services”. The inscription around the medal is M2-021524 PTE A.Y.Kerr- MTASC.

I’m really proud to have written these two blogs about the Kerr sons and their part in the World War I. Coming from poor Scottish backgrounds these hard working brothers put their hands up, used their skills with horses and vehicles and took off in the early days of the war and saw it through until the end or until they were too ill or injured to continue.

When I started my family history research I was a little disappointed not to have an ANZAC amongst the relatives.  My husband’s grandfather had been in Gallipoli after the famous ANZAC tragedy fighting with the British. As we enter the 100 year anniversary period we see that it was the Western Front and other parts which  were also crucial to the War effort. Many relatives from the British Isles and indeed Australia paid with their lives and others their health. Luckily some returned, lead good lives and even signed up again for WW2 or encouraged their children to do so.

Keep reading the blog dear friends.  I’ve still got more War stories of relatives and a few friends have been “conscripted” to write their own family hero story as guest bloggers.

If you want any documents relating to these people please contact me on Robyn's email as the comments section doesn’t seem to work unless you are on google+  You can share the blog with friends and relatives or keep up  with new stories by “following” the blog. 

Cheers Robyn

The Kerr boys go to War.... James Cross Kerr, Francis Robertson Kerr, John Kerr, Thomas Neilson Kerr Andrew Yuill Kerr

James Francis Kerr had six living sons at the start of the war. As a local cab proprietor operating a horse drawn and mechanical taxi service the business employed  men well versed with horses and or mechanical forms of transport. When World War I loomed, James found he had men with the skills needed by the war effort. One by one 5 of his sons enlisted and more than likely other staff went as  well.

Army Services Corp badge

1915 recruiting poster

The wartime enlistees had a choice over the regiment they joined.  At least three sons chose to join the part of the Army so vital to enabling the war effort - the ASC. The Army Service Corps or as it later became known in 1918 the Royal Army Service Corps. 

The Long, Long Trail website describes the situation faced by the army...

“Soldiers can not fight without food, equipment and ammunition. In the Great War, the vast majority of this tonnage, supplying a vast army on many fronts, was supplied from Britain. Using horsed and motor vehicles, railways and waterways, the ASC performed prodigious feats of logistics and were one of the great strengths of organisation by which the war was won.”

“At peak, the ASC numbered an incredible 10,547 officers and 315,334 men. In addition were tens of thousands of Indian, Egyptian, Chinese and other native labourers, carriers and stores men, under orders of the ASC.”

The ASC was organised into Companies, each fulfilling a specific role. Some were under orders of or attached to the Divisions of the army; the rest were under direct orders of the higher formations of Corps, Army or the GHQ of the army in each theatre of war.

• Base Depots
• Horse Transport Companies
• Mechanical Traqnsport Companies
• The Army Remounts Service (Companies involved in the provision of horses)
• The ASC Labour Companies

Men of the Army Service Corps are most difficult to research due to the structure of the organisation and the location of assistance etc. Records contain minimal information and I suspect the records of all these Kerr men (possibly stored together) are in the “burnt collection”  a victim of the London Blitz in WW2.   Medal records are slowly surfacing which contain the vital information that some were indeed in the ASC. This is coupled by the fact that there is no memorial to the Army Service Corps. 

These are the stories of 4 of James’ sons who joined Great Britain’s war effort.

James Cross Kerr 1876-1937

Francis Robertson Kerr 1886 -1954

John Kerr 1889-

Thomas Neilson Kerr 1895-1954

Andrew Yuill Kerr’s story will be in a later blog and David Montgomery Kerr’s contribution is listed at the end of this blog.

James Cross Kerr was my great grandfather. James had a different mother to the other boys being the first born and son of James Kerr and Jessie Cross who died when the children were young. He is 5’7 ½” with dark brown hair, olive skinned and grey eyes.  Presuming he enlisted in 1915 he would have been around 39 years old upon enlistment. At this stage he was married to Mary Ann and had three boys James, Francis and Alfred. He had been part of his father’s business since he was 11 years old.

No enlistment  records have been found but I have this great photo of him in his uniform, one document that seems to give a few more snippets of information plus a couple of notes written by my father.

The receipt for Attestation below seems to show that James transferred from the 8^th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders service number 202.595

to the Army Service Corps Park Royal Horse Transport Section and received a new number T/391942. His transfer came about in February 1918. 

James transferred to the Park Royal Horse Transport in 1918

My Dad  lived with his Grandfather in Sydney until he was 5 and his memory of his grandfather’s war service was that he “served in WW1 but may have put age back. Worked with horses, served in Argyll and Southern (sic) Highlanders.” ” saw service in Turkey and France- was discharged unfit perhaps malaria.” “Malaria in WWI -pension for a while Dr said it played a part in his death.”

The service in Turkey might be incorrect if indeed he was in the 8^th. He could indeed have tried to reduce his age so that he wouldn’t be turned down as a volunteer.

Dad’s preliminary research drew a blank on service records and he concluded that the records must have been in the “burnt collection” where records were destroyed during the Blitz in WW2.  Few details can be accurately confirmed.

An inquiry about the uniform shown in the photo below which was made at the Australian War Memorial replied that” the bandolier and spurs suggest service in a mounted unit and the shape of the cap badge suggest the Army Services Corps.”

James Cross Kerr and wife Mary Ann. The uniform seems to indicate the Army Services Corps

So the attestation paper above seems to be relating to our James Kerr as he was being transferred to Army Services Corp Park Royal  Horse Transport in England. In a medal record he is referred to as a driver. Perhaps the malaria caused him to return from the Front in February 1918 and be put to effective use working with the horses.

James returned from the war and to his three growing boys. After the war they prepared to immigrate to Australia. Mary Ann his wife returned to Scotland with her son Francis but James Cross, James and Alfred remained living and working in North Sydney.  James Snr and his son developed a delivery business which involved a horse and cart delivering fruit and vegetables. Never far from his beloved horse past.

Francis Robertson Kerr was to become  a  5’5” 27 year old motor lorry driver when he enlisted at Grove Park in January 1915. He was in the Motor Transport part of the vital  Army Services Corp. Probably due to his age he was appointed as a L/Corporal three days later. He reverted to Private of his own request in May 1915 which was the time he heading for France as part of Britain’s Expeditionary Force.

Frank's papers might be victims of the "burnt collection"

Some details of his 1917 service remain. From January 1917 he was in hospital for three months. From late April he was engaged as No 1 Lorry Driver on an Ammunition Column and transferred to troop supply. By July 1917 he was back in hospital until October 1917. On 18/11/1917 he was returned to England and hospitalised. 

His total service was 3 years and 15 days when he was discharged after being in Birmingham War Hospital.-no longer physically able for war service  27/11/1918. His Commanding Officer described him as sober, very reliable and intelligent and suitable to car driving in his discharge papers. Frank returned to Glasgow held the no 2 taxi licence and remained driving until his death. Somehow he acquired the nickname ”Raving” I’d like to know more about that!

John Kerr Service number 12602 was a 25 year old carriage driver when he enlisted. Married  in 1906 to Annie Mc  Phee, he had three children Peter, Margaret, and John and another on the way when he signed up  on 19/8/14 with the Highland Light Infantry. He joined the 3rd Battalion at Hamilton and after  remaining in a home depot (probably in England) until October 1915  moved with the British Expeditionary Force to France. 

His papers describe him as 5’3 ½ “ fresh faced man with brown eyes and black hair.  He was considered fit for the army on enlistment but a 16 year old injury where he fractured his left thigh ended his time in France. Since joining, a slight limp coupled with army conditions meant his thigh pain became much worse. The Medical Board of the army service deemed that to have aggravated the old injury.  He was discharged due to lameness on 13/4/1916 after service of 1 year 255 days.  The Army paid him a pension but felt that the condition would improve. Sadly during his time away his son Francis was born and died.

John's medical discharge papers

Thomas Neilson Kerr

No records can be found for Tommy as he was known. The only hint of information is Dad’s reference to him serving in the Dardanelles, Turkey. There are many Thomas Kerrs  from Scotland, a couple of whom had M/ service numbers indicating service in the Army Services Corp.

Really we have no conclusive evidence that he followed any of the paths of his brothers. Thomas returned from the war and several years later immigrated to Sydney with his mother Agnes Kerr and war widowed sister Agnes Park. He returned to Glasgow with his mother, married and worked as a labourer. He and Isabella remained childless. 

  

Andrew’s story of his time in the ASC will be related in the next blog.

David Kerr, the second son, did not go to war.  As a 30 year old with 4 children he still did his bit. His daughter, Mary Brian recalls her memories of Glasgow during the war.

“August 4, 1914 the beginning of the Great War I saw sailors going on ships, Greenoak and Gourock were where they set off from. The war lasted four years and it was a very different time. There were food shortages and blackouts and in Glasgow.  There were lots of refugees from countries overtaken by the Germans. My brothers and I had to go and wait in the various queues for meat, margarine etc, before we went to school. Mother would come later and take the place so that we could go to school.

My father had the first Fiat car which came to Glasgow and he used to go to various convalescent hospital to take soldiers for a trip. There were so many New Zealand and Australian lads and they usually came to our house for tea.” 

The patriarch, James Francis Kerr died during the war in May 1917. He had gone through some tough times with financial trouble and bankruptcy proceedings in 1913. The advent of the motorised travel in the early 1900s had decreased the business for horse-drawn carriages and perhaps diminished the need for his beloved horses... By all accounts he retired to become a racehorse breeder/trainer. 

With the outbreak of war his sons -his workers- had signed up to serve from mid 1914.They took with them the skills they had learnt in the family business. Some were drivers and others worked with horses which were still a very much-needed commodity in the Western Front. He would have been one very proud man even though he didn't live to see the end of the war and their safe return. Perhaps he evened training horses for the War effort before his death.