Private Gordon Kerridge
| Date of Birth | c 1898 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 19 |
| Date of Death | 27 March 1917 |
| Service Number | T/202148 |
| Military Service | East Surrey Regiment, 5th Reserve Battalion. Then Royal West Surrey, 2nd 4th Battalion |
| Merton Address | 35, Birkbeck Road, Wimbledon S.W. |
| Local Memorial | Baptist Church, Wimbledon |
Additional Information
Born in the Kingston area in 1898, Gordon was the son of William and Margaret Kerridge. The couple also had five other children – Dorothy, Daisy, Dudley, Robert and Henry. The family lived at 35 Birkbeck Road, Wimbledon.
During the war, Gordon enlisted as a Private in the 5th Reserve Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, before transferring to the 2/4th Battalion, Royal West Surrey Regiment. The latter unit was also known as the “Mutton Lancers” due to its lamb and flag cap badge.
Formed at Croydon in August 1914, the 2/4th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) was initially a territorial unit but on 24 April 1915 the men joined the 160th Brigade. On 2 July 1915 the unit was re-equipped for service in the Mediterranean. Leaving the artillery and train behind, the rest of the Division embarked at Sevonport on 14 July, bound for the Greek island of Lemnos via Alexandria in Egypt. The Division landed at Suvla Bay on 9 August 1915 and suffered heavy losses during fighting on the Gallipoli peninsular. By the time the men were evacuated back to Mudros on Lemnos in mid-December, the Division had just 162 officers and 2428 men, approximately 15% of its original complement.
In early 1916 Gordon and his battalion headed back to Alexandria and then on to Wardan, Syria, where they were rejoined by the divisional artillery. They fought to take control of the Suez canal region in the Battle of Romani ( 3 – 5 August 1916 ) and then took part in the First Battle of Gaza on 26 March 1917. This was the first attempt by Expeditionary forces to invade southern Palestine, which was then part of the (Turkish ) Ottoman Empire. Allied infantry attacked and were on the brink of capturing the town, but instead opted to withdraw as night was falling and there were concerns about approaching enemy reinforcements. The retreat was costly and a morale boost to Turkish forces, who then inflicted a heavy defeat on British troops at the Second Battle of Gaza in April 1917.
Gordon Kerridge seems to have been injured during the first battle for Gaza and died on 27 March 1917. He is buried at Gaza War Cemetery and was also commemorated at Wimbledon Baptist Church.