Thomas William Kerry

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known
Place of Birth	Stansted, Essex, England
Death	2 Apr 1917
Place of Death	Noreuil, France
Age at Enlistment	43 years, 9 months
Description	5'9" (1.75m) tall; weight 141 lbs (64kg); dark complexion, blue eyes, dark brown hair.
Occupation	groom
Religion	Protestant
Address	Bush Landing, Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife Mrs Florence Anne Kerry
Military Information
Reg Number	3559
Date of Enlistment	29 Sep 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 8th Reinforcement, transferred to 51st Battalion / 13th Brigade / 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	17 Jan 1916 - 9 Feb 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A30 Borda
Fate	Killed in Action 2 Apr 1917, Noreuil
Monument	Jarrahdale
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entry 1917 - No.1 Mill, Jarrahdale. Wife resided in Harlow, Essex, England, and following his death, she moved to USA.

War Service

On arrival in Egypt he was sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Zeitoun and on 3 Mar 1916 he was transferred to the newly formed 51st Battalion at Tel-el Kebir.

On 5 Jun 1916 the 51st Battalion boarded HMT Ivernia for Marseilles, arriving there on 12 Jun 1916.

On 6 Jan 1917 Tom was hospitalised with Trench Feet, possibly being aggravated that day with a march from Buire to Fricourt. He rejoined the 51st Battalion on 15 Mar 1917 when they were again at Buire training before going back into the front lines yet again.

Initially registered as MIA, but a Court of Enquiry in October 1917 declares him to have been KIA on 2 Apr 1917. From 3 Jul 1917 until 25 Oct 1925 his daughter (Joyce Elli) received a pension of 15/- per fortnight. His wife was granted the standard 40/- per fortnight paid to her USA address. It would appear that a daughter from an earlier marriage or relationship living in England (Vera Margaret) also received a pension of 20/- per fortnight from 3 Jul 1917 until 22 Aug 1923.

Red Cross file:

"Kerry was in C Coy, and came from Perth, WA. I knew him well, as we came over together in the same Reinforcements, the 8th for the 28th. He had been a cook in C Company, but went back to the line. I made enquiries about him from several C Coy men, and heard that Kerry was blown to pieces by a shell, the night before we went over at Bullecourt." McCallum B. Pte 3667

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known
Place of Birth	Shark Bay, Western Australia
Death	27 Jan 1917
Place of Death	36th Casualty Clearing Station, France
Age at Enlistment	22 years, 4 months
Occupation	groom
Religion	Church of England
Address	Bush Landing, Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother Mrs Ellen Keziah King
Military Information
Reg Number	5127
Date of Enlistment	31 Jan 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 16th Reinforcement to D Company /3rd Brigade, 1st Division
Date of Embarkation	31 Mar 1916 - 24 Apr 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A9 Shropshire
Fate	Died of broncho-pneumonia
Monument	Jarrahdale
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Initial training was in Bunbury before sailing to Egypt where he completed another monh's training training before moving direct to France. He embarked on HMT Tunisian on 29 May 1916 in Alexandria and disembarked in Marseilles on 3 Jun 1916. He was sent to the 1st Division's Base depot in Étaples until 29 Jul 1916 when he was taken on strength by the 11th Battalion, then in Berteacoourt, having just come out of the front line at Poziéres.

On 1o Nov 1916 he was admitted to 2nd Australian Field Ambulance with exhaustion.

Rejoined his unit 11 Nov 1916 but by 4 Jan 1917 had developed bronchial pneumonia in the trenches near Fleur Baix following heavy fighting, and was admitted to the 36th Casualty Clearing Station where he died on Jan 27th 1917.

• File:.jpg

  courtesy Raymond Morris
• File:.jpg

  Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Notes

Buried in the Heilly Station cemetery Plot V, Row G, Grave No. 27, Merricourt-L'Abbe, France.