Biography:
Ninian Mark Kerr Bertie was born 19 November 1896, the fourth and youngest son of Reverend the Hon. Alberic Bertie, of Gedling Rectory, Nottingham, and Lady Caroline Bertie, daughter of the Earl of Antrim. His uncle, Sir Francis Bertie, was British Ambassador in Paris.
He came to Winchester College from Mr GT Worsley's school at Hillingdon in January 1910 and was in B House, Moberly's. He won a prize for mathematics in 1910, played golf for his house and coxed his house IV in 1912. Bertie left school in the summer of 1914 and would have gone up to Christ Church, Oxford in October but on the outbreak of war he at once joined the Inns of Court OTC, being admitted to Sandhurst a fortnight later.
Bertie obtained his commission in the King's Royal Rifle Corps in December 1914, and in March 1915 proceeded to France with a draft to join the 4th Battalion. The 4th KRRC had gone into reserve near Bellewaarde Lake on the evening of 5 May but were back in line by the evening of 7 May when subjected to fierce fighting the following day, during which 2nd Lieutenant Bertie was killed.
Another Wykehamist, Lieutenant Lucas Henry St Aubyn King (A 1908-1912) was also killed that day (see individual entry).
Bertie's place of burial is unknown but he is commemorated on Panels 51 and 53 of the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.