Captain Henry Latham KERRICH
B Company 2/6th Battalion Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters)

Date of birth: 17th March 1896
Date of death: 27th September 1917

Died of wounds aged 21
Buried at Wieltje Farm Cemetery Row A Grave 20
He was born at Nugent Street, Spanish Town, Jamaica on the 17th of March 1896 the son of John Dalzell Kerrich and Mary (nee Reinke) of The Gables, Middelburg, Transvaal in South Africa and of Geldeston Hall in Norfolk.

He was educated at the Junior King’s School and then at the King’s School Canterbury from May 1909 to July 1910. He went on to Repton School from September 1910 to July 1915 where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps from 1911 to 1915 and achieved Certificate A. He attended the O.T.C. camps in 1911, 1913 and 1914.

He applied for a commission in the army on the 20th of July 1915 in an application which was supported by G.F. Fisher, Headmaster of Repton School, and J.W. Stratton, his housemaster. He attended a medical examination at Derby on the 24th of July at which it was recorded that he was 5 feet nine and a half inches tall and that he was short sighted and required glasses.

He was commissioned as a Probationary 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) Special Reserve on the 23rd of August 1915 and was confirmed in that rank in March 1916.

He was admitted to hospital and his father received the following telegram dated the 5th of November 1916:-

"Beg to inform 2Lt H.L. Kerrich Sherwood Foresters was admitted 20 General Hospital Camiers Nov 2nd suffering from scabies slight."

He was evacuated from France on the 17th of November 1916 and was admitted as a patient at the 3rd Northern Hospital at Sheffield the following day. On the 2nd of December 1916 he was admitted to the Fever Hospital where he was thought to be suffering from typhoid but was actually suffering from anaemia brought on by an infection which had been contracted on military service. He was on leave from the 18th of January to the 17th of February 1917. He attended a Medical Board which sat at the Military Hospital Great Yarmouth on the 22nd of February 1917 at which he was passed fit for general service.

He joined the 3rd Battalion of his regiment at Roker in Sunderland on the 24th of February and embarked for France on the 17th of December 1916 where he was attached to the 2/6th Battalion of his regiment.

He was promoted to Temporary Captain while in charge of a company on the 23rd of August 1917.

On the 26th of September 1917 the 2/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters was detailed to attack German positions along the Gravenstafel Road. After a heavy preparatory barrage they went forward at 5.50am and had taken their objectives by 7.30am, taking a number of prisoners. The Germans shelled the Sherwoods for most of the day, counterattacking at 5.30pm and again at 6.50pm. Henry Kerrich was wounded during this operation and died of his wounds the next day

His father received the following telegram dated the 1st of October 1917:-

"Regret to inform you 2/Lt H.L. Kerrich was wounded September twenty seventh-details called immediately received."

His father received a further telegram dated the 12th of October 1917:-

"Deeply regret to inform you Second Lieutenant H.L. Kerrich previously reported wounded died of wounds September twenty seven. The Army Council express their sincere sympathy."

The Reptonian Magazine wrote of him in November 1917: - "Though not a prominent member of his House in games, yet he was always a cheerful companion, and reached the Upper Sixth before he left. He was very anxious to join the army, but was rejected several times because of his eyesight, but at last got passed. He died of wounds received in action."

He is commemorated on the war memorial at Repton School and on a plaque in St Michael’s Church, Geldeston.
 

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