Allan Ker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Allan Ker
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| Born | 5 March 1883 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 12 September 1958 (aged 75) Hampstead, England |
| Buried |
West Hampstead Cemetery
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| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Gordon Highlanders |
| Battles/wars | First World War |
| Awards |  Victoria Cross |
Major Allan Ebenezer Ker VC (born March 5, 1883 – died September 12, 1958) was a brave Scottish soldier. He received the Victoria Cross, which is the highest award for bravery a British or Commonwealth soldier can get when facing the enemy.
Contents
Life Story of Allan Ker
Early Life and Education
Allan Ker was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on March 5, 1883. His father was Robert Darling Ker, a lawyer. Allan grew up in the Grange area of Edinburgh.
He went to Edinburgh Academy for school. After that, he studied law at the University of Edinburgh. Before the First World War started, he worked as a lawyer in Edinburgh.
Joining the Army
In 1908, Allan joined a local army group called the Queen's Edinburgh Mounted Rifles. When the First World War began in 1914, his cousin, Captain Arthur Milford Ker, was sadly killed. Allan went to Aberdeen to help with his cousin's affairs. There, he was convinced to join his cousin's army group, the Gordon Highlanders.
Heroic Actions in World War I
Allan Ker was a lieutenant (a junior officer) in the 3rd Battalion of the The Gordon Highlanders during the First World War. He was also part of the 61st Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps. He was 35 years old when he showed incredible bravery.
On March 21, 1918, near Saint-Quentin, France, enemy soldiers broke through the British lines. Lieutenant Ker, using just one Vickers gun, managed to stop their attack. He caused many casualties among the enemy.
Even after his machine gun was destroyed, he stayed at his post with a sergeant and several wounded men. He fought off enemy attacks with his revolvers. He was very tired from fighting, helping the wounded, and suffering from gas poisoning. He only gave up when he ran out of ammunition and the enemy completely surrounded his position. He had held off about 500 enemy soldiers for three hours!
Prisoner of War and Awards
After his brave stand, Allan Ker was captured and became a prisoner-of-war. He stayed a prisoner until December 1918, when the war ended.
He was officially awarded the Victoria Cross on September 4, 1919. King George V himself presented him with the medal at Buckingham Palace on November 26, 1919.
A year later, on November 11, 1920, Allan Ker was chosen for a special honor. He was one of 100 Victoria Cross winners who formed a guard of honor. They escorted the gun carriage carrying the body of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to Westminster Abbey.
Life After the War
Allan Ker later became a major (a higher rank). He left the army in 1922 and went back to being a lawyer, but this time in London.
In 1926, he was one of four Victoria Cross holders who placed a wreath at the dedication of the Machine Gun Corps Memorial in Hyde Park Corner, London.
During the Second World War, he served in a department that helped the Chief of the Imperial General Staff. He even attended the important Potsdam Conference in July and August 1945.
Allan Ker passed away on September 12, 1958, at the age of 75. He is buried in West Hampstead Cemetery.
Recognition and Legacy
Allan Ker's bravery inspired others. The author Anthony Powell used him as an idea for a character named Colonel Finn in his novels The Soldier's Art and The Military Philosophers.
In 2018, a special plaque was put up at his birthplace in Edinburgh to remember him.
Honours and Medals
Allan Ker received several medals for his service and bravery:
- Victoria Cross (VC) - The highest award for bravery.
- British War Medal
- WWI Victory Medal - This medal also had an "Oakleaf" for being mentioned in official reports for bravery.
- Defence Medal
- War Medal 1939–1945
- King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (1935)
- King George VI Coronation Medal (1937)
- Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953)
- Order of Military Merit (Knight) - An award from Brazil.
The Medal
You can see Allan Ker's Victoria Cross medal on display at the Lord Ashcroft Gallery in the Imperial War Museum in London.
Images for kids
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The Machine Gun Corps Memorial, Hyde Park Corner
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The grave of Allan E. Ker VC, Grange Cemetery
