30th May, 2024 9:30
Captain Ralph Kerr CBE RN (1891-1941): His original military metal trunk, containing a large collection of ephemera related to him and his family, to include birth and marriage certificates, original letters written by him to family, many photographs of ships and naval personnel groups, newspaper cuttings, his R.N. College, Dartmouth 'Engineering Notes' Books 1 & 2, his personal (and bound) 'Jornal & Note Book' dated 1909-1911, containing his recording of events onboard HMS Agamemnon, HMS Invincible, HMS Mohawk and HMS Bacchante, another album, 'Journal for use of Junior Officers Afloat', containing a collection of original black and white photographs (c. 1913-14), a letter of caution issued by the Admiralty in 1922, a comprehensive collection of his Service Certificates, further original photographs, a collection of items relating to his time on HMS Witch, in Malta (1920s), many letters of condolence to his wife, following Captain Kerr's death on 1941, a collection of newspaper cuttings relating to the sinking of Hood, obituaries and memorial service items, and assorted further ephemera, worthy of further inspection.
Retained in the family by descent.
Dawsons is proud to be taking to auction an esteemed collection of medals, featuring those awarded to Captain Ralph Kerr, who was in command of battlecruiser HMS Hood. The British battlecruiser was sunk after a ferocious and brief exchange of gunfire with German battleship Bismarck, with the loss of almost every member of its crew (including Captain Ralph Kerr) … Only 3 survived out of 1,418 souls.
Captain Ralph Kerr's legacy is indelibly linked to one of the most significant naval battles of World War II. The Battle of the Denmark Strait took place on 24th May 1941 – poignantly, almost 83 years to the day of the upcoming auction. The medals offered for sale, estimated between £3,000-£5,000, bear witness to his unwavering courage and service to the Royal Navy, his country, and his King.
Sold for £7,000
Captain Ralph Kerr CBE RN (1891-1941): His original military metal trunk, containing a large collection of ephemera related to him and his family, to include birth and marriage certificates, original letters written by him to family, many photographs of ships and naval personnel groups, newspaper cuttings, his R.N. College, Dartmouth 'Engineering Notes' Books 1 & 2, his personal (and bound) 'Jornal & Note Book' dated 1909-1911, containing his recording of events onboard HMS Agamemnon, HMS Invincible, HMS Mohawk and HMS Bacchante, another album, 'Journal for use of Junior Officers Afloat', containing a collection of original black and white photographs (c. 1913-14), a letter of caution issued by the Admiralty in 1922, a comprehensive collection of his Service Certificates, further original photographs, a collection of items relating to his time on HMS Witch, in Malta (1920s), many letters of condolence to his wife, following Captain Kerr's death on 1941, a collection of newspaper cuttings relating to the sinking of Hood, obituaries and memorial service items, and assorted further ephemera, worthy of further inspection.
ProvenanceRetained in the family by descent.
The Ralph Kerr Collection
Dawsons is proud to be taking to auction an esteemed collection of medals, featuring those awarded to Captain Ralph Kerr, who was in command of battlecruiser HMS Hood. The British battlecruiser was sunk after a ferocious and brief exchange of gunfire with German battleship Bismarck, with the loss of almost every member of its crew (including Captain Ralph Kerr) … Only 3 survived out of 1,418 souls.
Captain Ralph Kerr's legacy is indelibly linked to one of the most significant naval battles of World War II. The Battle of the Denmark Strait took place on 24th May 1941 – poignantly, almost 83 years to the day of the upcoming auction. The medals offered for sale, estimated between £3,000-£5,000, bear witness to his unwavering courage and service to the Royal Navy, his country, and his King.
