An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 21 Harry Boland, not only went through Liverpool, but often, as in both of these cases, stayed in the Kerr's home before travelling onwards. Other significant visitors to the Kerr home included Michael Collins and Liam Mellows. Joseph Vize, the IRA's Director of Purchases during the War of Independence, wrote in Neill Kerr's pension file: "He had charge of all war material purchased in, or landed in England, from all over the world. He was responsible for getting it all to Ireland. Practically every weapon used against the enemy, every round of ammunition, every ounce of other war material, passed through Neill's hands." Neill Junior died engaged in this work. On 3rd September 1920 at 93 Scotland Road, Liverpool, while moving a delivery of arms from Scotland, he was accidentally shot in the head by his brother Thomas, dying instantly. According to Joseph Vize, Neill Senior "…gave orders for the body to be laid aside… made sure that the arms were safe and that the revolver [that had killed his son] was on its way to Ireland…before reporting the accident to the police." Vize states that for this and other reasons "Neill was the Big Man's [General Collins] idol." Despite this tragedy the remaining family members continued their work. The War of Independence was intensifying and IRA policy towards Britain began to change. Up to this point the IRA had been using Britain as a source for obtaining arms and munitions for the campaign in Ireland but the IRA's GHQ now decided that the organisation should undertake operations in Britain itself, both in retaliation for the intensification of the British campaign in Ireland following the introduction of the Black-and-Tans and Auxiliaries during 1920, and to further increase political pressure on the British government. As a result, Kerr and his sons oversaw and took part in incendiary attacks against warehouses and farms in the Greater Liverpool/Merseyside area in November 1920. These attacks resulted in financial losses for the British exchequer and brought the 'war' home to Britain. However, they also led to the arrest of Neill Senior and his son Thomas. They were both imprisoned until released as part of the general amnesty following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in December 1921. Neill was imprisoned variously at Walton, Parkhurst, Brixton and Wormwood Scrubs prisons. John Patrick meanwhile continued his work of smuggling weapons into Ireland on ships from Liverpool, North America and Europe. Elizabeth Kerr too had helped greatly and played an important role throughout the struggle as her home was used as an arms dump, despatch centre, meeting place and safe house. She says of herself and her husband in her pension application: "His duties were mine … we worked in co-operation … from the beginning until 1922". PG Daly, who had to take over much of Neill's duties following his arrest, writing in support of Elizabeth's pension application states: "I would have found it most difficult to carry on were it not for her invaluable assistance, since she had always been cognizant of her husband's plans and knew all our men who were working on the New York and Irish boats". Neither John Patrick nor Thomas took any part in the Civil War, although Thomas continued smuggling arms until April/ May 1922. Following release from prison, on orders from Collins Neill Kerr Senior returned to duty in Liverpool, where he was involved in securing IRA supplies for the Provisional Government. He returned to Dublin in June 1922, joining the National forces in September, serving with the Marine Investigation Department as Officer Commanding the East Coast of Ireland for the remainder of the Civil War. He was demobilised on 31st March 1924 following the disbandment of the Coastal and Marine Service. MSPC files show that Neill Senior, Elizabeth and John Patrick all successfully applied for military service pensions. While Elizabeth didn't receive recognition for her activities during the Rising, John Patrick did receive recognition for his 1916 service and was awarded a 1916 medal. Thomas Kerr never applied for a service pension but did apply for a medal and was awarded a service medal (1917- 1921), without bar, in 1971. However, although detailing his 1916 service in his application, he was not awarded a 1916 medal and it would appear that relevant nominal rolls held by the Department of Defence (see RO/607 Kimmage Garrison; RO/11 Easter Week Dublin Brigade General; and RO/13 2nd Battalion Dublin Brigade Easter Week online on www.militaryarchives. ie) that listed Thomas Kerr and his two brothers as 1916 participants were not consulted. Neil Kerr Senior successfully applied for a dependents' gratuity under the Army Pensions Act, 1932, in respect of the death on active service of their son. Neill Kerr Junior's 1916 service was recognised by the Military Service Registration Board, which issued a service certificate covering the period from 1st April 1916 up to his death in September 1920 and referred to his service during the Rising. However, there is no trace of a posthumous medal application in his respect on any of the files. Thomas Kerr, when making his own medal application, detailed his brother's 1916 and War of Independence service but there is nothing on Thomas's file to indicate that an investigation into Neill's case ever took place and no medal index card for Neill in the MSPC survives. It would thus appear from available MSPC records that 1916 medals were never issued for either Thomas or Neill Kerr Junior. Michael Keane is a project archivist working on the Military Service (1916-1923) Pensions Project in Military Archives, Cathal brugha barracks, Dublin. Kerr Family Census Lancashire 1911 Neill Kerr's Military Service Pensions File

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