Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

Captain Henry Valder Kershaw, London Regiment, who fell in action on September 15th, 1916, was the eldest son of Mrs. Kershaw, and brother to Mrs. Hudson, 36, Grand Avenue, Muswell Hill. During his leave both in civil and military life he stayed at that address.
When the war broke out Captain Kershaw, who was the youngest Volunteer Officer in the South African Campaign, was deputy Chief Accountant on the Uganda Railway, Nairobi, and had brilliant prospects in the Colonial Government service. He at once resigned his post to see active service in the British East African campaign (holding the rank of major), and was invalided out with para-typhoid. At the request of his chief he then resumed his duties on the Uganda Railway, devoting his spare time to organising the Nairobi Defence Force, of which he was subsequently made commanding officer. Returning to England he was, in view of his impaired state of health, offered the choice of a home command and one in a regiment stationed at the base. He refused both, and pleaded to be sent to the fighting line as quickly as possible. His desire was granted. Within a few weeks of his arrival at the Front he was killed leading his men into action. Captain Kershaw was at one time in Holy Orders in Jamaica, being appointed as a deacon. The former Bishop of Jamaica, who is at present in England, describes him as "a straight, manly Christian, and had a splendid influence in Jamaica. He was a gifted reader, and was a great influence for good in the Church life of that island." To his work as a soldier his Commanding Officer pays high tribute as follows: "With him we lose one of the very best of officers. We all thought it was splendid of him to come out here when he might have rested after the African campaign. He was simply full of keenness and energy, and he had trained his company to the highest pitch. . . . He leaves a gap which we cannot fill. . . . His memory will always live in the history of the regiment." King’s College Review, Dec. 1916.

On the 16th November 1916, Governor Belfield wrote the following endorsement of Capt Kershaw’s East African Campaign Service to the Rt.Hon Andrew Bonar Law MP, Secretary of State for the Colonies. It was published in the Kenya Gazette 20th June, 1917: "The success which attended the enrolment and development of the Nairobi Defence Force was very largely due to the unwearying efforts and conspicuous example of the late Captain Henry Valder Kershaw, the London Regiment. This officer acted as Adjutant to the Force and did much to encourage and support the movement by his personal enthusiasm and untiring devotion to its cause. I estimate his servicea at a high value an well worthy of official approbation." Signed.

He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France and on the Uganda Railways WW1 Memorial, which now hangs in the Nairobi Railway Museum.

Citations & Commemorations :

Masonic :

Initiated into Sussex Lodge No. 354, Kingston Jamaica.
Joined Derby Allcroft Lodge No. 2168 8th November 1910
Joined Progress Lodge, Nairobi, East Africa 10th March 1915
Joined Lodge Harmony, Nairobi, East Africa on 4th October 1915

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley