Kershaw, Henry Valder (Revd)
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
Biographical
| Surname(s) | Kershaw |
|---|---|
| First name(s) | Henry Valder (Revd) |
| Date of birth | 1878 |
| Place of birth | Pancras District |
| Family details | Eldest son of William Henry and Georgina Kershaw, of 51 Briar Ave, Norbury, London, and brother to Mrs Hudson, 36 Grand Avenue, Muswell Hill |
| College | King's College London and/or King's College London Hospital |
| Dates at college | 1911-13 |
| Dept / course | Faculty of Theology |
| Military unit | 9th (County of London) Btn. London Regiment, St. Pancras. Resigned. Uganda Railway Corps |
| Service number | 473239 and 880915 |
| War / conflict | World War One (1914-1918) |
| Decorations / medals | 15 Star, British War and Victory Medals |
| Date of death | 15 September 1916 |
| Age at death | 38 |
| Rank at death | Captain |
| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Commemoration(s) | King's College Chapel; Thiepval Memorial; Uganda Railways Memorial Plaque |
| Notes | Captain of East African Volunteer Artillery, East African Railway Transport Dept and London Regiment. Major, London Regiment |
| Sources | King's College London Archives; Commonwealth War Graves Commission |