Kenneth John Sheriff
He had been in the police force for about eight years before joining the Army. He was a police constable with the Nottinghamshire County Force and had been stationed at Carlton, Beeston and Ollerton.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Kenneth John was the only son of Kenneth John (known as John) Sheriff and his wife Mary Ellen (known as Nellie) née Ridley. His father was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in about 1892 but had British nationality, and his mother was born in Shaftsbury, Dorset, in 1895.
His parents were married at Sheffield St Thomas parish church, Wincobank, on 1 January 1915 and lived at 57 Tansley Street, Sheffield, for the whole of their married life. There were three children of the marriage, Kenneth John b. 1915, Ivy Irene b. 1917 and Constance b. 1927. Both Kenneth and Ivy were baptised at St Thomas's, Kenneth on 4 August 1915 and Ivy on 17 October 1917.
John Sheriff was called up for service on 8 August 1918 but was deemed to have enlisted on 24 June 1916. Initially posted to the RFA (Gunner) on 15 August 1918 he transferred to the Tank Corps (Gunner) on 6 September. His record for Home Service was calculated from 24 June 1916 to 11 January 1919, when he was discharged no longer physically fit for War Service (Para 392 xvi KR). His pension record shows that he had a permanent disability that 'was not attributable to service during the present war' and therefore he was not entitled to a King's Certificate. The disability dated back to January 1917 and was the result of an industrial accident in Sheffield when an injury to the first two fingers of his right hand, caused by a steam hammer, was followed by partial amputation. John returned to his occupation of blacksmith after his discharge from the army.
By 1939 John was employed as a forge labourer. Kenneth had already left the family home but his two sisters were still living with their parents; Ivy was a steel spring worker while Constance was a student.
Kenneth was serving as a police constable with Nottinghamshire Constabulary, and during his time with the Force was stationed at Ollerton, Beeston and Carlton. Kenneth married Hilda M Dockrill (b. 1915) in 1939 and when the England & Wales Register was compiled at the end of the year they were recorded living at 3a Queen's Road West, Beeston. It is possible that he transferred to Carlton before joining the Army as the later CWGC record gives his widow's home area as Netherfield. Hilda did not remarry and died in 2003.
Kenneth's father John died in January 1963. He was survived by Nellie and their married daughters, Ivy Marsh (m. 1940) and Constance Alexander (m. 1961). Nellie probably died in 1980.
Gunner Sheriff served with the 13 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, and was killed in action in Burma (now known as Myanmar) on 13 February 1944. He is buried in Taukkyan War Cemetery, Myanmar (grave ref. 12.K.10).
'139 (4th London) Field Regiment RA (TA) was formed in June 1939 with two batteries as a duplicate of 91 Field Regiment. A third battery was raised in January 1941.’ Part of 7th Indian Division from October 1942, the unit converted to Jungle Field Regiment in July 1943. It was re-designated as 139 Jungle Field Regiment in October the same year and between August 1943 and May 1944 the unit operated in Arakan, Burma (Myanmar). It reverted to the Field role in July 1944. (ra39-45.co.uk/units/field-regiments/139-4th-london-field-regiment-rata)
CWGC Additional information: 'Son of John and Nellie Sheriff; husband of Hilda May Sheriff, of Netherfield, Nottinghamshire'
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'He gave the greatest gift of all, his unfinished life'
Nottingham Evening Post, 13 March 1944: ‘Local War Casualties: News has been received of the death while on service in Burmah, of Kenneth John Sheriff, 28, of Ollerton, who until he joined the Forces in August, 1942, was a constable in the Notts County Force. He was a native of Sheffield, was married, but had no family. While in the police he had been stationed at Carlton, Beeston and Ollerton.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 14 March 1944. ‘Sheriff. Kenneth John killed in action, February, Burmaj, late Pc23 Notts County Police, late Ollerton, Beeston, Carlton. Supreme sacrifice. Heartbroken wife, Hilda (Netherfield).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Journal, 14 March 1944: Report with photograph:’Constable Killed. Gunner Kenneth John Sheriff, Royal Artillery, a constable in Notts. County Constabulary stationed at Ollerton, was killed in action in Burma on 13 February. He had been in the police force eight years and had been stationed at Carlton, Beeston and Ollerton.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Advertiser, 18 March 1944: ’Former Police Constable Killed. A former Carlton police-constable named Kenneth John Sheriff, has been killed in action in Burma. He was a gunner in the Royal Artillery. Sheriff had been in the Notts County police force about eight years and had been stationed at Beeston and Carlton. He leaves a widow, who resides in Netherfield.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 13 March 1945: ‘Sheriff. (Kenneth). In proud and loving memory of my devoted husband, killed in action, one year to-day (Burma), late Notts. County Police. A daily thought and everlasting memory. Broken-hearted wife Hilda.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Photo of Kenneth John Sheriff
Buried in Taukkyan War Cemetery (www.cwgc.org)
Photo of Kenneth John Sheriff
Nottingham Journal, March 1944 (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)