David Kerr was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on September 5, 1881, the son of Alexander Kerr and Ellen (nee Hare) Kerr, of Scotland. His siblings included Thomas Harwell (born 1883); Euphemia Hare (born 1885); Jane (Jennie) Meek (born 1889); and half sibling Alexander (born 1905). In 1901, at age 19, David was living in Musselburgh, Scotland, and was working as a coal miner. One year later in 1902, his mother Ellen would die. In July 1903, David would arrive in Canada (at the port of Montreal) from Glasglow, Scotland. Two years later, David married Agnes Druscilla (nee Siddall, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Siddall of Wellington Street, Sarnia) Kerr on August 18, 1905 in Lambton County. They would later reside at 136 N. Brock St., Sarnia. David and his wife Agnes would have four children together: Sandy (born 1906); twins Florence May and Helen (born 1910); and Angus Stewart (born 1911). David Kerr was a well-known singer in Sarnia who sang on special occasions in connection with the different churches of the city. He was, for a few years, connected with the Prudential Life Insurance Company and was a member of the old Concert Band.

David enlisted on January 15, 1915 in Sarnia. At the time, he listed his occupation as a labourer, and he recorded that he had prior militia experience with the 27th Regiment. He left Sarnia on August 17th, 1915 with the “B” company of the 18th Battalion, as a Private. Shortly after arriving in Guelph camp, David was made Sergeant. He would become a member of the Army, Canadian Infantry, The Royal Canadian Regiment, Sergeant.  On arriving overseas, he was promoted again to instructor in bombing and was noted as an expert bomb thrower. In mid-December of 1915, the Sarnia Observer printed a letter that David Kerr had mailed to them from East Sandling Camp, Shorncliffe, Kent, England. At the time, he listed himself as part of 9th Reserve Battalion, “B” Company. An excerpt of that letter reads as follows:

To Sarnia Observer, Sarnia, Ontario

Dear Mr. Editor

Allow me a small space in your valuable paper to let you know how the Sarnia boys are faring in England. We left Canada on August 17, and had a very good trip overseas until we came into the danger zone, then we had to sleep on deck all night, so as to be ready for the life boats in case the German subs were near, but luckily for us they let us pass, but the Hesperian was doomed on her return trip to Canada. She landed us at Devonport on the 26th of August, and was sunk on Sept. 4th, so when we heard about the mishap to her we said: “God bless the Germans”, but we thought of other words which would look bad on paper.

 Now start with our camp life here. The first is the weather, which is very bad. It rains every other day, and the mud is supreme. Salisbury was no worse than Shorncliffe. The mud is ankle deep, but the boys shut their eyes and plough, which is the only way to do, as we have come too far to kick now…. Now for our training, which finished Saturday, December 4, after 14 weeks pretty hard drill. We get up at 6 a.m., fall in at 7:30, physical drill till 8, breakfast 8:15, fall in at 9, inspection by company officer, then we have an inspection by the colonel, which takes about an hour, and we have to stand at attention all the time; but thank God, the Brigadier put a stop to that. You had to shave, clean your buttons and shoes, and if he couldn’t see his face in your buttons it was Orderly room at 4 p.m. The boys call him some funny names. We have three route marches a week, from ten to fifteen miles, and full marching at that…. One thing we miss here is the brown shoes which were issued to us in Canada. We have the black ones here, with heel plates and hob nails, but they are good shoes for marching with, though when we go up town you would think it was a team of Clydes we make so much noise on the pavement….

 We are attached to the 9th Reserve Battalion and they come from Edmonton, but the most of them have either been wounded, killed or taken prisoners, and we are filling up the gaps. They are coming and going all the time. I will give you an instance, it is hard to believe but is nevertheless true. I shool hands with a Sergeant going out on draft on Thursday morning and I was in Folkestone on Saturday evening watching the hospital ship come in, and the same Sergeant was the second man to come ashore, wounded, shot through the left shoulder. We are only six hours journey from the trenches. We can hear the big guns bombarding the Belgium coast, so you see it doesn’t take long to get put out of commission over there. All the boys here are ready for the fray. I don’t think it will be long till they get their wish, as the quartermaster sergeant has everything ready for them. I don’t think I will get away with them, as I am instructing in bomb throwing. I was at school for a month for instruction and I got through with a first class certificate. I go to London next week to finish my course in explosives.

 The scenery around here is lovely. We have lots of old land marks, such as the oldest house in Kent, and that makes the route marches more afgreeable to the boys, and they enjoy them. The people have always a cheery word for the Canuck’s wherever we go, and the roads are good, which makes it better for us.

 Now about the food; the most important factor of all. Well, it is wholesome and we get plenty of it…. The men have porridge, bacon and tea, bread and butter for breakfast and it is changed from time to time. For dinner they have roast, spuds, stew, at times it is always changed. Supper, tea and different kinds of fruit. I pay six cents for extras in the sergeant’s mess, and we feed good. I have to see the rations we are getting, and I know I never felt better in my life.

 Well, Mr. Editor, all the Sarnia boys join me in wishing you and your staff and readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and tell the young men of Sarnia that they are needed here to do their bit. We don’t want Sarnia the Imperial City to have the name of having “Slackers” in its boundaries. From the boys of the Second draft of the old 34th Battalion, C.E.F. I remain one of the boys,

Sergt. D. Kerr

In September of 1916, David was admitted to the hospital at Etaples, France, after he suffered from an attack of rheumatism. Seven months later, on April 9, 1917, David Kerr, aged 35, would lose his life while fighting on the first day of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, France. Another Sarnian, Frederick Johnson, would also lose his life in the same battle on the same day (also included in this project). David Kerr would officially be listed as, Killed in Action. Attack at Vimy Ridge. Thirty-five year old David Kerr is buried in La Chaudiere Military Cemetery, Vimy, Pas de Calais, France, Grave IX.B.12. David would leave behind his widow Agnes Kerr and their four small children (ages 6-11), who were residing in Windsor, Ontario at the time of his death. He would receive the citation: The 1914-15 Star.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, L, N, 2C, 2D, 2G