Biography.guide
Home › People › Poet › Donald Kerr
Portrait of Donald Kerr

Donald Kerr

1919 – 1942

Australian poet

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Donald Kerr

Lived 1919 – 1942 (aged 23). Donald Kerr was an Australian poet.

Donald Beviss Kerr (27 June 1919 – 15 December 1942) was a South Australian poet, a founder of the magazine Angry Penguins.

Biography Kerr was born in North Adelaide, South Australia, the eldest son of Donald Kerr MM LLD (1893 – 30 January 1928), and Marjorie Jane Kerr, née Johns (1894–1968). He was a grandson of Donald Alexander Kerr (1859 – 5 July 1919), at one time headmaster of Pulteney Grammar School.

He was educated at St Peter's College, and studied English Language and Literature at the University of Adelaide 1937–1940, boarding at St Mark's College where he was active in college activities.

He was editor of the university graduates' annual magazine Phoenix in 1939, and when its funding was withdrawn, founded the literary magazine Angry Penguins, one of its four original contributors, with (according to Professor Charles Jury) Max Harris, Paul Pfeiffer and Geoffrey Dutton.

Kerr enlisted in the RAAF in 1939 and was called up in December 1940, serving as navigator on supply flights. over Soputa airstrip, near Buna, Papua New Guinea.

Hassell Press published a collection of his poems, Death, Be Not Proud in 1943.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
Donald Beviss Kerr, Donald B. Kerr, Donald B Kerr

People in Donald Kerr's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Donald Kerr's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Donald Kerr?

Australian poet

When was Donald Kerr born?

Donald Kerr was born on 27 June 1919.

When did Donald Kerr die?

Donald Kerr died on 15 December 1942.

What was Donald Kerr's occupation?

Donald Kerr was a poet.

What nationality was Donald Kerr?

Donald Kerr was Australian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Donald Kerr

· Wikidata: Q126973403

· DBpedia: Donald Kerr (poet)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Donald Kerr. https://biography.guide/donald-kerr/

MLA: "Donald Kerr." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/donald-kerr/.

Chicago: "Donald Kerr." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/donald-kerr/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:01 UTC