Ralph Kerr

Captain Ralph Kerr, C.B.E., D.S.C. (16 August, 1891 – 24 May, 1941) was an officer in the Royal Navy who fought in both World Wars, dying in command of the battlecruiser Hood in 1941.

Life & Career

Kerr was born in Ross on Wye in Herefordshire, the son of Major Russell J. Kerr, J.P., Third Gloucester Regiment. Kerr gained one and a half months' time on passing out of the Training Establishment in mid January, 1909.

Kerr first served in H.M.S. Agamemnon, Invincible and the destroyer Mohawk before joining Bacchante in January, 1911. In mid 1912, he commenced service in T.B.Ds., being borne on the books of Hecla and then Tyne.

Kerr was appointed to the battlecruiser Inflexible on 13 January and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 28 February, 1914. His application to join a navigation course was cancelled owing to his defective vision despite his having consulted a specialist. In September, he was sent to Devonport for a short course in gunnery, but then was appointed to the Benbow, in which he would fight most of the war, including at the Battle of Jutland. His visual problems were seemingly more than offset by the favourable impression he conveyed.

In late 1917, Kerr applied to work in torpedo or minesweeping craft. In February, 1918, this resulted in his being appointed in command of the new patrol boat P48.

Kerr was appointed from the patrol boat for command of the destroyer Cossack on 30 April, 1918.

Post-War

On 14 February, 1920, Kerr married Margaret Augusta Currey at St. Mary's Ross on Wye, Herefordshire. He was appointed in command of the destroyer Sable on 1 September, 1920.

Kerr was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 28 February, 1922.

Kerr was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1927.

Kerr was appointed in command of Decoy on 2 September, 1932. He left her on 14 January, 1935 when he was appointed to Victory, additional, for a Technical Course and a Tactical Course.

Kerr was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1935.

Kerr was appointed in command of Hardy on 25 February, 1938 and as Captain (D), Second Destroyer Flotilla vice Boyd.

Kerr was appointed in command of the flotilla leader Broke on 31 July, 1939 and as Captain (D), Fifteenth Destroyer Flotilla.

World War II

Kerr was appointed in command of the battlecruiser Hood on 15 February, 1941 and died aboard her when she was destroyed on 24 May. Kerr was posthumously awarded the D.S.C. for "mastery, determination and skill in action against the German Battleship Bismarck."

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. P48 Feb, 1918 – 30 Apr, 1918	Succeeded by Colin J. L. Bittleston
Preceded by Aubrey E. D. Moore	Captain of H.M.S. Cossack 30 Apr, 1918 – 3 Feb, 1919	Succeeded by Thomas W. Young
Preceded by Torkel Lundholm	Captain of H.M.S. Lydiard 29 Mar, 1919 – 14 Jul, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Terence A. F. Longford	Captain of H.M.S. Starfish 14 Jul, 1919 – 1 Oct, 1919	Succeeded by George A. Scott
Preceded by Cosmo M. Graham	Captain of H.M.S. Springbok 1 Oct, 1919 – 17 Mar, 1920	Succeeded by William G. Halliley
Preceded by Edward B. Hoyle	Captain of H.M.S. Sable 1 Sep, 1920 – 20 Jan, 1922	Succeeded by Donal S. McGrath
Preceded by John D. Harvey	Captain of H.M.S. Valkyrie 20 Jan, 1922 – 1 Oct, 1923	Succeeded by Hamilton C. Allen
Preceded by Henry A. Simpson	Captain of H.M.S. Vanity 9 Oct, 1923 – 29 Jul, 1925	Succeeded by Valentine Searles-Wood
Preceded by Charles R. Peploe	Captain of H.M.S. Witch 13 Jul, 1925 – 22 Apr, 1926	Succeeded by Augustine W. S. Agar
Preceded by Ambrose T. N. Abbay	Captain of H.M.S. Worcester 22 Apr, 1926 – Aug, 1927	Succeeded by Patrick E. Fell
Preceded by Thomas C. C. Bolster	Captain of H.M.S. Seawolf 13 Dec, 1927 – Dec, 1928	Succeeded by Donal S. McGrath
Preceded by Victor H. Danckwerts	Captain of H.M.S. Windsor Dec, 1928 – 11 Nov, 1929	Succeeded by John G. Y. Loveband
Preceded by Edward C. Thornton	Captain of H.M.S. Thruster 14 Apr, 1930 – 30 Jun, 1931	Succeeded by Hilary D. Owen
Preceded by Evelyn T. Wickham	Commanding Officer, H.M.S. Osprey 30 Jun, 1931	Succeeded by Edward S. F. Fegen
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Decoy 2 Sep, 1932 – 14 Jan, 1935	Succeeded by Bernard A. W. Warburton-Lee
Preceded by Arthur G. Skipwith	Captain of H.M.S. Campbell 6 Sep, 1935 – 13 May, 1936	Succeeded by Rhoderick R. McGrigor
Preceded by H. E. Sulivan	Captain (D), Twenty-first Destroyer Flotilla 6 Sep, 1935 – 13 May, 1936	Succeeded by Harold Hickling
Preceded by Guy L. Warren	Captain of H.M.S. Caledon 20 Jul, 1936 – 4 Nov, 1936	Succeeded by John D. A. Musters
Preceded by William S. Bardwell	Captain of H.M.S. Colombo 4 Nov, 1936 – 20 Apr, 1937	Succeeded by Denham M. T. Bedford
Preceded by Denis W. Boyd	Captain of H.M.S. Hardy 25 Feb, 1938	Succeeded by Bernard A. W. Warburton-Lee
Preceded by Denis W. Boyd	Captain (D), Second Destroyer Flotilla 25 Feb, 1938 – 28 Jul, 1939	Succeeded by Bernard A. W. Warburton-Lee
Preceded by Leonard F. Durnford-Slater	Captain of H.M.S. Broke 31 Jul, 1939 – 27 Sep, 1939	Succeeded by Bryan G. Scurfield
Preceded by Rafe G. Rowley-Conwy	Captain (D), Fifteenth Destroyer Flotilla 31 Jul, 1939 – 18 Jan, 1941	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Irvine G. Glennie	Captain of H.M.S. Hood 15 Feb, 1941 – 24 May, 1941	Succeeded by Vessel Lost