FREDDY KERR'S DEATH

NZ Truth, Issue 538, 9 October 1915, Page 11

FREDDY KERR'S DEATH

George Morrison's Tribute to a Brave

Corporal G-. H. Morrison, of Morrinsville, of the Canterbury Y.C., and at the time of writing (31/7/'l6) m the Imtarfa Hospital, Malta, m an interesting letter to Mrs. Green, mother of the late Freddy Kerr, gives some particulars of the death of that popular young boxer and all-round sport and once again "The Second" expresses the opinion that those wowsers, who m the past have blackguarded and cried down the boxer as being brutal, etc., should hang their heads m shame for having cruelly slandered young men who did not hesitate when their country called, and who have since proved themselves heroes. .

Morrison says, "I was with poor Freddy the morning he was caught, and had been, bis pal since we went Into camp at Addington, and right up to the time I saw him on the hospital ship at Gte.be Tepe. Fred -was the most popular trooper m the CV.CL, and was a man In the right place, as Quartermas-ter-sergeant Webb will no doubt tell you, and will be sadly missed by. all who knew him m camp and at the front

'1 can tell you how it happened. I was having a swim when all at once a shell burst within a dozen yards of me m the water. Naturally I got a bit of a fright, and was looking' round when another shell burst about twenty yards inland. I did not wait for more, but got dressed and was making my way back to my bivouac w\»en another shell burst clean over our camp, wounding five men and killing one, Fred being one of the wounded. He was bending over some water cans at the tune, and got a pellet of shrapnel through his back and stomach. He was quickly attended to and taken to the field ambulance, where he lay until taken to the hospital ship. Poor Fred, he was bad. . . After asking him if I could do anything for him. I .told mm I would write to his mother, took Ms boots off, and put a blanket over him . . never thinking that dt was to be the last /time I would see him. When he shook hands with me it seemed that I was saying good-bye to poor Freddy for ever, and I can, tell you right here that it cut me up for a while. The pinnace came along and Fred along with several others was taken aboard the ship where he lingered for a while, and then^ died on June 14, and was buried at sea, poor boy."

George In. offering his consolation to Freddy's mother says, "Freddy was a thorough young gentleman, both, as a sport and a soldier. Although you have lost him m life, his name will go down with those of our dead heroes m. the history of this great war. He never forgot his home, or his mother, brother and sisters, and was always joking about the good time coming when he returned."

After giving instances of how Fred thought of those at home, by buying presents for them, George says, "This shows how he always had a warm spot m his heart for those at home, and though it is very hard for you at home, rest assured you have the sympathy of the whole of the Canterbury Regiment, and also of other regiments who knew Fred both m New Zealand, and at the front."

George, it might be mentioned, was down with fever at the time of writing, and has lost his brother of the Hauraki Regiment. Concerning his brother, Morrison says, "He was among those brave boys at the landing, but he, poor fellow, was shot throug the top of his lungs, and bled to death, through being neglected, as on that terrible morning of April 25, Gaba Tepe waa a slaughtering place for colonials. Poor Jim died an awful death. • He waa put on a boat with six hundred other wounded and died, with no friends or anyone near to help him. The following day was his twenty- third birthday. Poor Jim was buried at sea, and we lost our brother, the only consolation I have is that he did his duty, and died a soldier's death."