Ernest L Kerswell

Rank: Private

Regiment: 2nd Seaforth Highlanders

Father: Mr H J Kerswell

Other Info: Mr H J Kerswell was Headmaster of Sandown School, Ore.

An article published in the Hastings & St Leonards Observer on 17th October 1914 reads: “Private E. L. Kerswell, of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders, A, Lower Ward, Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Gosport, and son of Mrs Kerswell, Devonshire Road, Hastings, writes: – “I have read one or two experiences of local men serving in France in the ‘Observer’ so I thought I would like to relate one of mine.

This occurred on the 14th and 15th of last month. We had a good long march, and arrived at the place where we were to take up position at about 2:30 a.m. We were then told to entrench ourselves. As it happened, I and five other men and an N.C.O. were sent out on covering patrol. Our duty is to keep a look out in case of surprise while the entrenching is going on. On completing the trenches we were called in, and naturally, see that each man had only made sufficient cover for himself, we commenced to entrench ourselves, but were told to leave off at once, and get in where we could between other men. We had only just time to do this before over came a shower of German shells.

I was in the most awkward of position I have ever been in. On my right a drummer had dug a deep hole, and was well down into it, On my left the ground was rather higher and I kept rolling down on to the drummer. I had no cover, so began to scratch up some earth with my hands and so just managed to make a small heap, enough to cover me from view, but not nearly enough to stop a bullet.

Well, the shelling went on the whole day right up until about about 8 p.m., and we were very thankful for the darkness that came, and we were relieved, and put in reserves for the next day. We lost our Colonel, and in our platoon, six dead and several wounded.

The whole regiment lost heavily that day. The following day, being in reserve we had it fairly easy, although shells were whistling overhead all day. In the afternoon I got a very nasty hit in the right arm, and was conveyed to Le Mans Hospital, where they took out my arm a piece weighing 3 ozs. Recovering sufficiently, I was sent home and I hope to see dear old Hastings once more”.

Additional name information from the Lives of the First World War website.

Published: September 1914, October 1914 & October 1915

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