Walter David Francis Kerridge

Walter David Francis Kerridge

Personal Information
Date of Birth	31 Mar 1898
Place of Birth	Frinton-on-sea, Essex, England
Death	12 Apr 1956, aged 58
Place of Death	East Victoria Park, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	18 years, 4 months
Description	5'6¾" (1.70m) tall ; 134 lbs 60.781 kg ; fair complexion ; brown eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Orchardist
Religion	Church of England
Address	'St Ives Cottage', Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Walter David Kerridge
Military Information
Reg Number	2696 & W243302 & 45447
Date of Enlistment	13 Aug 1915
Rank	Driver
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement transfers initially to 51st Battalion; then to 4th Field Ambulance.
Date of Embarkation	2 Nov 1915 ‒ 26 Nov 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A38 Ulysses Fremantle to Egypt
Date of Return	4 Jun 1919 ‒ 18 Jul 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Bremen
Fate	Wounded in Action 14/16 Aug 1916 at Mouquet Farm, Poziéres, France Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale War Memorial (Armadale panel) Bedfordale Roll of Honour Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

On 4 Mar 1924 Walter married Doris Florence Skinner (1902-1978). They were to have a son and four daughters, the oldest two being Doris Betty (1926-2017) and Norma who died in 2016.

War Service

After two months initial training with the 23rd Depot Company, Walter was allocated to the 6th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion and he travelled to Egypt with them aboard HMAT A38 Ulysses which departed Fremantle on 2 Nov 1915, and disembarked them at Port Tewfik, Egypt on 26 Nov 1915. After several months of training in Egypt without joining the 28th Battalion, he was transferred to the 51st Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir as it was forming. At the end of March the battalion marched to Serapeum on the Suez Canal over several nights where their training continued until 4 Jun 1916 when they entrained for Alexandria. They sailed from Alexandria to Marseilles on HMT Ivernia from 5 Jun to 11 Jun 1916.

On arrival they were moved by train to Caestre, a journey of two days, and were then marched to Sailly where they acclimatised themselves before entering the front lines for the first time in the Petillon Sector on 26 Jun 1916. On 12 Aug 1916 the battalion prepared to move into the front line east and north of Pozières, preparatory to continuing the attack on Mouquet Farm. Walter was injured with a bullet wound to his left wrist at Mouquet Farm, and embarked on HMHS Brighton in Calais for England on 21 Aug 1916, where he was admitted to the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester on 22 Aug 1916. On 21 Nov 1916 he was released to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, and four days later to No.2 Command Depot in Weymouth. On 4 Jan 1917 he was moved to the No. 4 Command Depot at Wareham.

Walter proceeded to France again on HMT Invicta from Folkestone on 8 Feb 1917, but within a month the old wound required him to again be evacuated to England, this time on HMHS Dieppe from Calais on 14 Mar 1917.

He was admitted to the Norfolk War Hospital in Norwich on 15 Mar 1917 before again being discharged to Weymouth on 14 Apr 1917. Reclassified due to his wound, on 20 Jun 1917 he was transferred to staff of the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford, and on 28 Nov 1917 he entered France for a third time as a member of the 4th Field Ambulance, travelling via Folkestone. He was taken on strength by the 7th Field Ambulance on 9 Dec 1917.

Sick again on 25 Mar 1918, he spent a week in hospital, and then remained in France with the Field Ambulance until 31 Mar 1919. Sailed home aboard SS Bremen as a member of nursing staff, before being discharged on 24 Oct 1919 by the 5th Military District.

"Enlisted 6th August, 1915, and sailed with the 6th Reinforcements of the 28th Battalion on 2nd November, 1915. He went to Egypt, and afterwards with the 51st to France, where he was wounded at the Battle of Pozieres. He was treated at the Manchester Hospital, and is at present convalescent in Weymouth."

Later William Butcher wrote to his mother about Walter Kerridge,

"...got a bit of a wound in the hand, but nothing serious while out helping to get in a wounded man. He's a game young kid. he knew the Germans wouldn't recognise the white flag, but he went out on chance and they peppered into him. He was lucky in getting hit only once and that in the hand"

Sunday Times 15 October 1916 edition noted that his health status had changed from wounded to wounded, severely.

Post War

1924 married Doris Florence Skinner in the Canning district. Doris died 23 Nov 1978 in Mt Lawley aged 76.

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 a farmer in Armadale along with his father of the same name; 1931 - 43, Sixth road, Armadale, a quarryman; 1943 - 49 soldier at 80 Canterbury terrace, Victoria Park; 1954 a wicker worker (gun shot injury to left wrist in WW1). Doris remained until 1963 when Glenys Mae (cap maker) is also at 80 Canterbury terrace; 1972 Doris is in Flat 8, Cone place, Menora; 1977 - 1978, she is in 72/8 Bradford street Manora.

World War II

Walter served during WW2 with Citizen Military Forces Regimental No. W243302, a Lance Corporal in 5th Australian Garrison Battalion from 22 Nov 1939 until 29 Jan 1941, and then the 10th Australian Garrison Battalion from 30 Jan 1941 until 31 Jul 1941 when he enlisted in the RAAF. In the RAAF he served as 45447 Sergeant, at RAAF Base Townsville (Garbutt) until 7 Nov 1945.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial