Ralph Kerr
Encyclopedia
Captain
Ralph Kerr CBE
(16 August 1891 – 24 May 1941) was an officer in the Royal Navy
. He served in the First and Second World Wars, and was killed in the sinking of HMS Hood
by the German battleship Bismarck
at the Battle of the Denmark Strait
.
, Gloucestershire
. He joined the Royal Navy on 15 May 1904, and after service as a cadet
he rose through the ranks, being promoted to Lieutenant on 28 February 1914. He served in the First World War, spending most of the period aboard the battleship
HMS Benbow
, the flagship
of Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee
. He was present at the Battle of Jutland
in May 1916, and by 1918 he had been given his own command, that of the destroyer
HMS Cossack
.
. Promotion to Captain followed on 30 June 1935, and on 6 September 1935 he became commander of the Flotilla leader
and Captain (D) of the 21st Destroyer Flotilla. He stepped down from the position on 22 May 1936. His commander, Admiral Thomson reported that he had found Kerr to be
Kerr became Senior Officer, Reserve Fleet
aboard HMS Caledon
in July 1936, transferring to HMS Colombo
on 3 November 1936. As well as being the senior officer of the reserve fleet he then also became Chief Staff Officer to the Rear-Admiral of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, where he remained for the next year, until July 1937. Vice-Admiral Sir Gerald Dickens
also produced a highly favourable report, noting that Kerr was
Kerr was to have then received an appointment to command the Flotilla leader HMS Duncan
, where he would be Captain (D) of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla. The appointment was cancelled before he could take it up however. Instead, after a period of training, he became commander of HMS Hardy
and Captain (D) of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla. During this period he served under Vice-Admiral John Tovey, and impressed both him, and the Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean Admiral Sir Dudley Pound
. Kerr then took command of HMS Broke
and the 15th Destroyer Flotilla, later transferring to the shore establishment HMS Cochrane, at Rosyth
on 30 August 1939. He remained at Rosyth with the Rosyth Destroyer Force until 24 January 1940, spending time on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth. He was awarded the CBE
in 1940.
HMS Hood
on 15 February 1941. Command of the Navy's largest capital ship was a major change, Kerr having only previously commanded destroyers. He took her to sea on the completion of her refit in mid March, and carried out gunnery exercises and patrols off Iceland
. He was commander of Hood for just three months, when he was killed at the Battle of the Denmark Strait
, along with most of his crew, when Hood was sunk by the German battleship Bismarck
. He was posthumously Mentioned in Despatches. Kerr is commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
, London
. Russell Kerr, who had served as a Captain in the Royal Artillery
and as a tank commander, was killed while fighting in Burma in 1945.
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
Ralph Kerr CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(16 August 1891 – 24 May 1941) was an officer in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. He served in the First and Second World Wars, and was killed in the sinking of HMS Hood
HMS Hood (51)
HMS Hood was the last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. One of four s ordered in mid-1916, her design—although drastically revised after the Battle of Jutland and improved while she was under construction—still had serious limitations. For this reason she was the only ship of her class to be...
by the German battleship Bismarck
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
at the Battle of the Denmark Strait
Battle of the Denmark Strait
The Battle of the Denmark Strait was a Second World War naval battle between ships of the Royal Navy and the German Kriegsmarine, fought on 24 May 1941...
.
Early life
Kerr was born on 16 August 1891, the only son of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Russell Kerr, and his wife Lady Kerr, of Newnham on SevernNewnham on Severn
Newnham on Severn is a village in west Gloucestershire, England. It lies near the Royal Forest of Dean, on the west bank of the River Severn, approximately 10 miles south-west of Gloucester and three miles southeast of Cinderford, at . It is on the A48 road between Gloucester and Chepstow,...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. He joined the Royal Navy on 15 May 1904, and after service as a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
he rose through the ranks, being promoted to Lieutenant on 28 February 1914. He served in the First World War, spending most of the period aboard the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
HMS Benbow
HMS Benbow (1913)
HMS Benbow was an Iron Duke-class battleship of the Royal Navy, the third ship of the class and the third ship to be named in honour of Admiral John Benbow....
, the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee
Doveton Sturdee
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee, 1st Baronet, GCB, KCMG, CVO was a British admiral.-Naval career:...
. He was present at the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
in May 1916, and by 1918 he had been given his own command, that of the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
HMS Cossack
HMS Cossack (1907)
HMS Cossack was a Tribal class destroyer of the Royal Navy launched in 1907 and sold in 1919.During the First World War she served in the North Sea and the English Channel with the 6th Destroyer Flotilla....
.
With the destroyers
Kerr was promoted to Commander on 30 June 1927 and in December 1928 he was given command of the destroyer HMS Windsor, followed by HMS Thruster in August 1929. He commanded Thruster until February 1931, and after a year on land, returned to sea in February 1932 in command of HMS DecoyHMS Decoy (H75)
HMS Decoy was a D-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. Ordered in 1931, the ship was constructed by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, and entered naval service in 1933. Decoy was initially assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet before she was transferred to the China Station in early 1935...
. Promotion to Captain followed on 30 June 1935, and on 6 September 1935 he became commander of the Flotilla leader
Flotilla leader
A flotilla leader was a warship suitable for commanding a flotilla of destroyers or other small warships, typically a small cruiser or a large destroyer...
and Captain (D) of the 21st Destroyer Flotilla. He stepped down from the position on 22 May 1936. His commander, Admiral Thomson reported that he had found Kerr to be
"A very capable Captain (D) who has trained his Flotilla well. An officer probably much better suited to the practical side of naval life rather than to Staff duties. A strong personality with definite powers of command and a very good seaman. Most loyal and is very thorough in the carrying out of his duties. Social qualities good. Physically fit and has good powers of endurance."
Kerr became Senior Officer, Reserve Fleet
Reserve fleet
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed, and thus partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; an equivalent expression in unofficial modern U.S....
aboard HMS Caledon
HMS Caledon (D53)
HMS Caledon was a C-class light cruiser of the British Royal Navy. She was the nameship of the Caledon group of the C-class of cruisers....
in July 1936, transferring to HMS Colombo
HMS Colombo (D89)
HMS Colombo was a C-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy, named after the former capital city of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name...
on 3 November 1936. As well as being the senior officer of the reserve fleet he then also became Chief Staff Officer to the Rear-Admiral of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, where he remained for the next year, until July 1937. Vice-Admiral Sir Gerald Dickens
Gerald Charles Dickens
Admiral Sir Gerald Louis Charles Dickens, KCVO, CB, CMG, RN, was a senior Royal Navy officer and the grandson of Victorian novelist Charles Dickens.-Early career:...
also produced a highly favourable report, noting that Kerr was
"A very keen zealous officer who has done well as Senior Officer Reserve Fleet. Has plenty of character and drive and is mentally alert. A good seaman and a sound administrator. Very loyal, while ambitious to do well. Good social qualities. Keeps fit."
Kerr was to have then received an appointment to command the Flotilla leader HMS Duncan
HMS Duncan (D99)
HMS Duncan was a D-class destroyer leader built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s. The ship was initially assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet before she was transferred to the China Station in early 1935 where she remained until mid-1939. Duncan returned to the Mediterranean Fleet just after...
, where he would be Captain (D) of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla. The appointment was cancelled before he could take it up however. Instead, after a period of training, he became commander of HMS Hardy
HMS Hardy (1936)
|HMS Hardy was the flotilla leader for the H-class destroyers, built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1930s. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 the ship spent considerable time in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides of the conflict...
and Captain (D) of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla. During this period he served under Vice-Admiral John Tovey, and impressed both him, and the Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean Admiral Sir Dudley Pound
Dudley Pound
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound GCB OM GCVO RN was a British naval officer who served as First Sea Lord, professional head of the Royal Navy from June 1939 to September 1943.- Early life :...
. Kerr then took command of HMS Broke
HMS Broke (D83)
HMS Broke was a Thornycroft type flotilla leader of the Royal Navy. She was the second of four ships of this class that were ordered from J I Thornycroft in April 1918, and was originally named Rooke after Rear Admiral Sir George Rooke of the Dutch Wars and the Battle of Vigo Bay.-Construction:She...
and the 15th Destroyer Flotilla, later transferring to the shore establishment HMS Cochrane, at Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
on 30 August 1939. He remained at Rosyth with the Rosyth Destroyer Force until 24 January 1940, spending time on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth. He was awarded the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1940.
HMS Hood
Kerr took command of the battlecruiserBattlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
HMS Hood
HMS Hood (51)
HMS Hood was the last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. One of four s ordered in mid-1916, her design—although drastically revised after the Battle of Jutland and improved while she was under construction—still had serious limitations. For this reason she was the only ship of her class to be...
on 15 February 1941. Command of the Navy's largest capital ship was a major change, Kerr having only previously commanded destroyers. He took her to sea on the completion of her refit in mid March, and carried out gunnery exercises and patrols off Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. He was commander of Hood for just three months, when he was killed at the Battle of the Denmark Strait
Battle of the Denmark Strait
The Battle of the Denmark Strait was a Second World War naval battle between ships of the Royal Navy and the German Kriegsmarine, fought on 24 May 1941...
, along with most of his crew, when Hood was sunk by the German battleship Bismarck
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
. He was posthumously Mentioned in Despatches. Kerr is commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Family
He had married Margaret Augusta Kerr on 14 February 1920, the marriage producing two children, Russell and Jane. They resided in St John's WoodSt John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district of north-west London, England, in the City of Westminster, and at the north-west end of Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Russell Kerr, who had served as a Captain in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
and as a tank commander, was killed while fighting in Burma in 1945.