Robert Kerr (SN 34) was born in Ballarat and was a 32 year old labourer when he enlisted at Warracknabeal on February 24th 1915, naming his sister Matilda as his next of kin. Assigned to the 23rd Infantry Battalion he embarked from Melbourne on May 10th aboard the Euripides. He reached Gallipoli in July and served there for four months, during which time he was found guilty of ‘neglecting to obey a general order in that on October 30th 1915 at Anzac he cut scrub along the sky line.’ After a period in Egypt, he was moved to France in March 1916, but in June he was evacuated to hospital in England suffering from bronchitis. While in England he was twice found guilty of being absent without leave and was sentenced to six months detention. Four months of this sentence was remitted, and he returned to France in February 1917. On May 3rd during the fighting at Bullecourt he suffered a gunshot wound to his left chest and was once again evacuated to hospital in England. The severity of his wound was such that he was assessed as unfit for further active service. At that time, he indicated an interest in becoming a poultry farmer upon his return to Australia. He left England on January 11th 1918 aboard the Port Darwin, reached Melbourne on March 4th and was discharged ‘medically unfit’ on April 18th 1918. He died on January 21st 1923 and is buried in Ballarat’s New Cemetery.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Robert Ken.

One of a number of soldiers with multiple entries in the original register, he is also recognised at Tree 406.