Pte 51838 Lawrence Kerr

• Age: 24
• From: Glasgow
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Saturday 11th May 1918
• Commemorated at: Ghent City Cem
  Panel Ref: C.21

Lawrence Kerr was born in Shettleston, eastern Glasgow on 26th January 1894. According to census records, Lawrence's name was sometimes spelled Laurence. His father Laurence Kerr was a blacksmith born in Northumberland in about 1864, and his mother Rose (nee Hogg) was born in about 1861 in Edinburgh. Laurence junior was baptised on 30th January 1894 at St Paul the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, Shettleton, Glasgow.

Rose was a widow with five children when they married in 1890. They had seven children, of whom two died; Lawrence was the only surviving son and had an older sister Roseann, and younger sisters Lily, Violet, and Loretta.

In 1901 Lawrence, 7, is living with his parents, three step siblings and two sisters at 25 Grey Street, Shettleston, eastern Glasgow. 

The family moved to Liverpool, where his mother died, aged 49, in the December quarter of 1910.

The 1911 Census finds his widowed father, with four children, living in Lower House Lane, West Derby. His father is 46, a blacksmith working on his own account, Lily is 12, Violet 11, and Loretta 9. Laurence is 17, and is a pottery labourer.  His name is spelled Laurence. 

Lawrence enlisted in Liverpool joining the 13th Bn King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 51838 and at some point was posted to the 17th Bn K.L.R. and served in ‘D’ Company.

Lawrence was initially declared Wounded and Missing on 29th April 1918.

He was captured by the Germans and taken to a Military Hospital in Ghent.  The German records, held by the International Red Cross, give his year of birth as 1895 and place of birth Liverpool.  He had suffered “unterschenkelschuss” which translates as a gunshot wound to the lower leg, although translated records show “thigh” and “shot under thigh”.  Lawrence died from his wounds on 11th May 1918 and was buried in a single grave no.5516 in the community cemetery in Ghent.  This information was received by the ICRC from the German authorities on 17th July 1918.

His sister Lily M. Kerr, 33 Bedford Road, Walton, Liverpool, contacted the International Red Cross and was informed of his death and burial on 12th August 1918.

Lawrence now rests at Ghent City Cemetery, Belgium.

Gent (also known as Ghent) was occupied by French Marines and the British 7th Division early in October 1914, but evacuated on the 11th. It then remained in German hands until reoccupied by the Belgians on 10 November 1918.

Gent City Cemetery contains military plots of many nationalities, including Commonwealth. The First World War Commonwealth graves, which total 86, are prisoners of war buried there during the German occupation, plus two brought in from JABBEKE CHURCHYARD after the Armistice. In addition, nearby, are 111 of the Second World War.

His death was reported in the local press under the header:

DIED A PRISONER

Private Laurie Kerr, late Liverpool Scottish, reported died of wounds, served nearly 18 months in France. He was wounded at Guillemont in 1916 and again on his return to France, afterwards being taken prisoner. Now news has arrived of his death in German hands and his burial at Ghent. News welcomed at 50 Fitzgerald-road, Old Swan.     

CWGC Graves Registration forms show his service number as 51638 and date of death as 18th May 1918, later amended to the 11th. 

His service papers make no reference to Liverpool Scottish (as per the newspaper report) but show only the 13th and 17th Battalions of K.L.R. 

His father was awarded a pension of 5/- a week, by which time he had moved to the Manchester area and was living at 44 Wood Street, City Road, Hulme. No Soldiers Effects record has been found.

His father died in Manchester in 1932 aged 67.

Lawrence is commemorated on the Scottish National War Memorial (as Laurence). 

We currently have no further information on Lawrence Kerr, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.