In late 1914, two brothers enlisted for the war. The elder, George Ernest Kerr signed up on 29 September, 1914, and his younger brother, Hedley Vernon George Kitchin, on 19 October, 1914. They were the sons of John Henry Kitchin Kerr and his wife, Charlotte Gladstone Clarke. The parents also had a daughter, Claire Zoe Kitchin, and had divorced in about 1900. George was born on 29 January 1892 and Hedley on 29 June, 1894. Both were Roman Catholic by religion and had been educated at Christian Brothers' College, East Melbourne. In 1914, their mother was living at 158 Simpson St. East Melbourne. On his Attestation Form, George gave his occupation as labourer, while Hedley was an electrician.
Following training at Broadmeadows, George Kerr was taken on strength with the 14th Battalion, G Company. The 14th was commanded by Colonel John Monash and formed part of the 4th Brigade. They underwent training at Broadmeadows, then left Australia on HMAT Ulysses, first for Albany, W.A., then Egypt. They reached Egypt after a month's voyage, landing in January, 1915. and in February 1914, at Heliopolis, George wwas charged with 'Neglect of Duty' and had his pay docked. On 1 April, he was in Malta, admitted to Imtarfa Hospita with chancre, painless ulcer, normally on the genitals as a result of venereal disease. As a result, he was not present at Anzac Cove on 25 April, returning to the Battalion on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 5 May.
Hedley was put in the 6th Australian Infantry Battalion and sailed to Egypt in November, 1914, on board HMAT Suffolk, arriving in Egypt on 2nd December. They trained in Egypt and were part of the second wave of Australian infantry landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April. Hedley was killed on the first day, one of the 133 dead and wounded from the 6th Battalion. His body was never recovered. His name is listed at the Lone Pine Memorial.
George had an entirely different war. He had been promoted to Corporal on 27 July, and on 8 August, 1915, he was at Gallipoli, and wounded in the eye, most probably in the August Offensive on Hill 971. On 24 August, the Red Crescent Society in Constantinople advised the Australian authorities that he was a Prisoner of War. On 21 February, they were informed that he was interned at Bazanti Terminus of the Anatolian Railways, close to the Taurus Mountains.He was interned there for the duration of the war and reptriated from Turkey at port Said, arriving in England on the HT Canberra on 20 March, 1919.
On 20 March, he was taken on strength at the Australian Headquarters in London and then granted leave with full pay from 26 March to 3 June, pending completion of papers for his return to Australia. George Kerr took advantage of his leave, attending art lessons at the South Western Polytechnic Institute in Chelsea. His leave was extended from 4 June to 5 July to attend Art School. Following this, he was given pre-embarkation leave and went to Paris, staying at 76 Rue de Bordy.
He embarked for home on 1 August, 1919 on the troop ship, HT Argyllshire, which served to take injured soldiers back to Australia, arrriving on 22 September. On 26 December, George Kerr was discharged from further military service. He married in 1921, to Enid Mary Murphy. They had three children, Zoe, after his sister, Clarice Zoe Flannery, nee Kitchin Kerr, Penelope, and George Hedley Kitchin Kerr, his brother's name. Enid died on 10 February 1960, at age 68, after 39 years of marriage.
George Ernest Kitchin Kerr went on to lead a useful and rewarding life. He has an entry in the 1950 Who' s Who in Australia, that reads:
Manager since 1928 and Secy. since 1944 Federal Citrus Council of Australia, Editor Citrus News since 1929, Secy. Austn. Citrus Growers' Federation since 1948: son of John Henry and Charlotte Gladstone (nee Clarke) Kitchin Kerr, Ouse, Tasmania; born Jan 25. 1892, Ballarat East, Victoria. educated C.B.C East Melbourne; 14th Battalion 1st AIF 1914-1918; POW, Gallipoli 1915; head clerk Baghdad Railway Construction Company's Stores Div., Anatolia; editorial staff Sunraysia Daily, Mildura Vic. and fruit grower Red Cliffs 1921-28, Dir. Red Cliffs Co-Op Packing Company 1925-28, mem. Austr. Dried Fruits Assn. Board of Management 1924-25; m. Dec. 31 1921, Enid M., daughter of G.B. Murphy, 3 s. 2d., address 14 Second Ave., Kew.