Name
William George Kerrison
18/06/1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/11/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Colour Serjeant
1022
King's Royal Rifle Corps
1st Bn. attd. 2nd Bn. Nigeria Regiment, W.A.F.F.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
IKOYI NO. 2 CEMETERY
60
Nigeria
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
London Colney Village Memorial, London Colney Roll of Honour
Pre War
William George KERRISON was born on 18th June 1879, in Chatham, Kent, son of George Kerrison, a retired Army Pensioner now working as a Bricklayer and Rachel Kerrison, (nee Keenan). One of their sixteen children although seven died in childhood.
His parents married in 1871, in Kinsale, Ireland, his father was a serving soldier at the time.
1881 Census records William as George aged 1, and the family as “Berrison”, living with his parents, brother Albert (8) and sister Ann (5), at 100 Stanhope Street, St Pancras, London/Middlesex.
1891 Census records Willian aged 11, at school, living with his parents, three brothers and four sisters at, 38 Pratt Street, St Pancras, London/Middlesex.
William enlisted on 21st June 1898, just after his 19th Birthday, for 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve, joining the 1st Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, at Gosport, Hampshire, on 22nd June 1898, issued with the service number 1022.
William was appointed, Lance Corporal in September 1899, Corporal in August 1901, Sergeant in May 1905, and Colour Sargent in February 1913.
William and the 1st Battalion were deployed to South Africa in May 1899, seeing action during the Second Anglo Boer War (Second Anglo Boer War, 11th October 1899 to 31st May 1902).
William was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with the following clasps Belfast, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Talana, Defence of Lady Smith and Laings Nek. The Kings South Africa Medal with the following date clasps, South Africa 1901 & South Africa 1902, for his service in South Africa.
In September 1902, William and the Battalion were posted to Malta, followed by tours in Crete, Egypt and then to West Africa, returning home in May 1909, and given 6 months leave, before returning to West Africa, returning home in December 1910.
He extended his service to 12 years in January 1906, and to 21 years in May.
1911 Census records William aged 31, a Colour Sergeant with 13 years’ service, home on leave, staying with his parents, four sisters and brother John, at 35 Hadley Street, St Pancras, London/Middlesex.
William returned to West Africa in May 1911, completing two more tours there, returning home on leave in late January 1914.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war William was still a serving soldier with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, he returned to West Africa (the date varies depending on the documents, June 1914, August 1914 and September 1914). He was attached to the 2nd Battalion, Nigerian Regiment, West Africa Fronter Force.
He returned home on leave in September 1916, returning to West Africa on 1st November 1916, he was taken ill and died on 24th November 1916, of Blackwater Fever, a complication of Malaria, he is buried in, Ikoyi No2. Cemetery, Lagos, Nigeria. Grave Ref: 60.
Additional Information
His effects of £59-03s-07d, went to his father George Kerrison
His brother Private G/1064 Reginal Harry Kerrison, of The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was Killed in Action on 3rd May 1917.
1921 Census records his parents George and Rachel, and sister Rachel Kerrison, living in Kings Road, London Colney, Herts.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
