Patrick McKerron

Brigadier Sir Patrick Alexander Bruce McKerron, known as Patrick McKerron KBE, CMG (6 May 1896 – 20 March 1964)[1][2][7][8] was a British Army officer and colonial administrator. He joined the Malayan Civil Service in 1920 as Assistant Superintendent before retiring as Colonial Secretary of Singapore in 1950.

Sir Patrick Alexander Bruce McKerron KBE, CMG
1st Colonial Secretary of Singapore
In office 1 April 1946 – 29 April 1950
Monarch	George VI
Governor	Sir Franklin Charles Gimson
Preceded by	Newly created
Succeeded by	J D M Smith (Acting) Wilfred Lawson Blythe
Personal details
Born	6 May 1896[1] Aberdeen, Scotland, UK[1]
Died	20 March 1964 (aged 67)[2] London, UK[2]
Spouse(s)	Ernestine Bickford Pearce[3][4] ​ ​ (m. 1924)​ Majorie Mennedy Rettie[5][6] ​ ​ (m. 1933)​
Children	Colin (son) Jane (daughter)
Father	Professor R. G. McKerron[1]
Profession	British Army officer, Colonial Administrator

Early years and education

Patrick McKerron was educated in Fettes College and Aberdeen University.[7][8]

Career

Military career

During the First World War, McKerron was with the 4th Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders in France, where he was wounded in 1917.[7][8] He was transferred to Indian Army servicing with the 20th Punjab Regiment in the Punjab and on the North West Frontier.[8]

Prior to Second World War

McKerron joined the Malayan Civil Service in 1920[9] was appointed as acting Assistant Superintendent in the Monopolies Department (Singapore).[7][10] Between 1922 and 1924, he was a District Officer in Jasin, Malacca.[11][12][13] In January 1925, he was appointed as District Officer (Nithong Tebal), Assistant District Judge (Singapore and Penang) and Police Magistrate (Penang).[14] In 1928, he was the British Resident to Brunei.[15] In 1932, he was the Secretary of F.M.S. Retrenchment Committee and in the following year, he appointed Superintendent of Taiping Convict Establishment.[16][17] Between 1934 and 1936, he was the Assistant Adviser (Kedah and Trengganu) and Superintendent of Prison of Kedah.[18][19] In 1938, he was the Under Secretary in Straits Settlement[20] and First Assistant Secretary.[21]

Second World War

In February 1939, McKerron was in charge of the Manpower Bureau for voluntary service for Malaya.[22] It was an appeal for British Europeans to enroll in the volunteer force in the event of emergency (Second World War). The objective of the registration is avoid the tragic mistakes of the First World War when thousands of men enlisted and went to the front who would have been of far greater value to the country in their civil posts.[23] By mid-April, about 2500 British Europeans enrolled for the voluntary service.[24] McKerron was later appointed as Press Censor in September 1939.[25]

In 1940, McKerron was appointed as member of the Advisory Committee on the formation and organisation of Defence Corps in Singapore. This was partly due to McKerron was an army officer prior to his civil career.[26]

Post Second World War

During the period of British Military Administration in Malaya in 1945–1946, Brigadier McKerron was the Deputy Chief Civil Affairs Officer in Singapore,[27][28] assisting Major-General Sir Ralph Hone (Chief Civil Affair Officer of Malaya).

After the Military Administration ended on 31 March 1946, McKerron was sworn-in as the 1st Colonial Secretary of Singapore on the following day.[28] During his tenure as Colonial Secretary, McKerron was sworn-in as Officer Administrating the Government when Sir Franklin Gimson (Governor of Singapore) was away in England for a period of 5 months in 1947.[29][30] He retired on 29 April 1950 as Colonial Secretary and handed over to J D M Smith, whom became the Acting Colonial Secretary.[31][32] Wilfred Blythe was later sworn-in as the 2nd Colonial Secretary of Singapore on 30 June.[33][34]

McKerron was later the President of the Association of British Malaya in 1953.[2][35]

Awards and honours

McKerron was invested with Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) in 1945 in recognition of his work in the Malayan Planning Unit during the war in Malaya.[7][36][37][38] In 1950, he also received Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE)[39][40] for his 30 years of service in Malayan Civil Service.

Personal life

Patrick McKerron was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK on 6 May 1896. He is the eldest son of Professor and Mrs R. G. McKerron.

McKerron's first marriage was with Ernestine Bickford Pearce, daughter of Mr and Mrs Ernest V Pearce of Baxterley, Nathan Road (Singapore) on 21 April 1924.[3][4] McKerron's second marriage was with Majorie Mennedy Rettie, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs A T Rettie of Spring Valley, Badulla, Ceylon on 29 April 1933.[5][6]

McKerron has a son (Colin) and a daughter (Jane) from his marriage.[41]

McKerron died in London on 20 March 1964.[1][2]

References

1. "McKerron, Sir Patrick (Alexander Bruce)". ukwhoswho. 1 December 2007.
2. "Former Colonial Secretary — Dies". The Straits Times. 24 March 1964. p. 1.
3. "Social and Personal". The Straits Times. 27 March 1924. p. 8.
4. "Singapore Wedding". Malayan Saturday Post. 3 May 1924. p. 6.
5. "Malayans at home". Malaya Tribune. 15 May 1933. p. 15.
6. "Social & Personal". The Straits Times. 17 May 1933. p. 10.
7. "Sir Patrick Played A Leading Part In Singapore's Recovery After The War". The Straits Times. 3 January 1950. p. 4.
8. "Read of Mr. V. H. Winson Mr. P. A. McKerron C. S. M. Strutt Mr. V.K. Chinniah Haji Mohd. Tahir". The Straits Times. 12 February 1939. p. 9.
9. "No. 31765". The London Gazette. 3 February 1920. p. 1438.
10. "Social and Personal". The Straits Times. 8 May 1920. p. 9.
11. "Farewell Entertainment to the District Officer, A Lor Gajah". Malaya Tribune. 9 August 1922. p. 7.
12. "Social and Personal". The Straits Times. 17 April 1924. p. 8.
13. "Malacca Notes". Malaya Tribune. 21 April 1924. p. 7.
14. "Untitled". The Straits Times. 3 January 1925. p. 9.
15. "Brunei Notes". Malaya Tribune. 6 June 1928. p. 4.
16. "Taiping". Malaya Tribune. 20 October 1933. p. 10.
17. "F.M.S. Appointments". The Straits Times. 8 November 1933. p. 10.
18. "Untitled". Malaya Tribune. 22 March 1934. p. 12.
19. "Personalities". Morning Tribune. 21 April 1936. p. 10.
20. "The Gazette". Malaya Tribune. 15 April 1938. p. 12.
21. "The Gazette". Malaya Tribune. 7 May 1938. p. 10.
22. "Registering for Emergency Work". Malaya Tribune. 20 April 1940. p. 3.
23. "Voluntary Service for Malaya". Morning Tribune. 7 February 1939. p. 20.
24. "Emergency Jobs have Almost Been Filled". The Straits Times. 13 April 1939. p. 12.
25. "New Censor". Malaya Tribune. 27 September 1939. p. 2.
26. "Untitled". Malaya Tribune. 26 October 1940. p. 2.
27. "British Military Administration is Established". nlb.gov.sg. 15 August 1945.
28. "Military Administration Ends Ceremonies Held in Singapore and K.L." Malaya Tribune. 1 April 1946. p. 4-1.
29. "S'pore Without A Governor For Five Minutes!". Indian Daily Mail. 22 May 1947. p. 4.
30. "Arrival of Governor". The Straits Times. 18 October 1947. p. 7.
31. "Untitled". The Straits Times. 30 April 1950. p. 1.
32. "Colony 'On Threshold of Her Destiny'". The Straits Times. 29 April 1950. p. 5.
33. "Mr. Blythe Back For New Post". The Straits Times. 30 June 1950. p. 7.
34. "Leaves Tomorrow". The Straits Times. 1 July 1950. p. 7.
35. "McKerron hails aid to Fed". The Straits Times. 1 November 1953. p. 9.
36. "No. 37119". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 1945. pp. 2937–2938.
37. "CMG For Brig. McKerron". Malaya Tribune. 23 March 1946. p. 4-1.
38. "Brig. McKerron Honoured". The Straits Times. 23 March 1946. p. 3.
39. "Honours for 45 Malayans". The Straits Times. 3 January 1950. p. 1.
40. "No. 38797". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1949. p. 23.
41. "Untitled". The Straits Times. 2 August 1949. p. 1.