Russell Douglas Kerr

Russell Douglas Kerr was a monumental mason in Redan.

History
He was born on 20 May 1920, the son of Ivy Blanche Hughes and James Henry Kerr. The family lived at 607 Ripon Street South, Redan.

On October 1939, Kerr had been listening to a radio play about kidnapping a small child. He decided to copy the idea to see if he could make about £20 by threatening to kidnap the three year old grandchild of one his neighbours, William Sneddon. He left a threatening note, but never acted on the threat. He was eventually found out, and charged, but was acquitted by the jury in December 1939. (For full details, read: Sneddon kidnap threat).

Kerr served with the the 2nd AIF from 1939-1948.

Kerr died in Ballarat on 20 November 1980.