01 Apr 1922: W.W. Kerr to Blanche, Countess St. Germans

Rand Club,
Johannesburg.

April 1, 1922

Dear Lady St. Germans,

I have, alas, the saddest story in the world to tell.

Dear John arrived here last Saturday very fit and well. I saw a lot of him that day, Sunday and Monday. He was very cheery and told me, more than once, how well he felt, what a lot of good the trip had done him and how much he had enjoyed it.

I was away all Tuesday but on my return here Wednesday morning, I was told he was ill. I went up to his room and to my horror discovered he was really bad.

I took him up to the Lady Dudley Nursing Home at once in an ambulance and there Dr. Watt asked me if I would like another Doctor called in as consultant. I suggested Dr. Rogers, who was called and arrived in a few minutes.

They (the Doctors) told me the case was very serious but that they were hopeful of his pulling through. I hated having to send you that wire but I felt I ought to, because I had asked the Doctors what they would tell you if you were here, so I just wired what they said, my one hope being to be able to cable you good news later. I was with him until he became unconscious on Friday, when he gradually sank and died very very peacefully at 11.15 pm.

His one anxiety all the time was you. He didn't want you to be worried. He knew how anxious you would be. A few moments before he died he became conscious and asked the Sister for you. The Sister said "shall I fetch her?" and John just nodded and died.

It was so beautiful, ‘His last thought' – I've asked the Sister to write to you. They were all so kind and did everything in their power to save him.

What can one say to help or comfort you in your greatest sorrow? Sympathy is all the World can give, and I think it would help a tiny bit if you could hear the genuine sorrow and sympathy expressed by everybody here who had met him, even some of whom had only known him for a few days but whose affections he had instantly won.

May God bless and help you.

Yours very sincerely,
W.W. Kerr

*Original letter is in the collection of Mousie's grandson – David Herbert, 19th Baron Herbert.

Some punctuation has been added for ease of reading.