THE HEADSTONE OVER THE GRAVE OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM ALEXANDER KERR VC IN THE CHERITON ROAD CEMETERY, FOLKSTONE, HAS BEEN REPLACED.
14 April 2011

A project to refurbish / renew two Victoria Cross graves in the Cheriton Road Cemetery, Folkstone, Kent, both of which had deteriorated badly has been successfully completed. The graves of Admiral Sir John Commerell VC, Royal Navy, and Captain William Kerr VC, Southern Mahratta Horse, Indian Army, were in need of desperate attention as the images show.

The lead project coordinator was Ian Loftus of the Cheriton & Morehall Branch of the Royal British Legion who, from amongst others, acquired a donation from Michael Howard the outgoing MP, and obtained extensive coverage in the local press and media to enable the project to proceed with the necessary funds.

A rededication / blessing took place in Cheriton Road Cemetery on Thursday, 14th April 2011, to commemorate the work carried out on the two Victoria Cross graves. In attendance were the great-great-granddaughter of Sir John Commerell VC, and distant relatives from William Kerr's side of the family. Commodore Hennessey, Royal Navy, Command Eastern Naval Command, a representative from the National Army Museum, and a member of staff from the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Imperial War Museum, representing the Lord Ashcroft VC Collection.


Kerr's grave:
before and after

[ London Gazette, 27 April 1858 ], Kolapore, Indian Mutiny, Lieutenant William Alexander Kerr, Southern Mahratta Horse.

On the breaking out of a mutiny in the 27th Bombay Native Infantry in July 1857, a party of the mutineers took up a position in the stronghold, or paga, near the town of Kolapore, and defended themselves to extremity.

Lieutenant Kerr, of the Southern Mahratta Irregular Horse, took a prominent share of the attack on the position, and at the moment when its capture was of great public importance, he made a dash at one of the gateways, with some dismounted horsemen, and forced an entrance by breaking down the gate.

The attack was completely successful, and the defenders were either killed, wounded, or captured, a result that may with perfect justice be attributed to Lieutenant Kerr’s dashing and devoted bravery.

( Letter from the Political Superintendent at Kolapore, to the Adjutant-General of the Army, dated 10th September 1857 ).

William Kerr was invested with his Victoria Cross by Major General F. T. Farrell, at Belgaum, India, on the 4th September 1858.

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Iain Stewart, 24 April 2011