in January 1918 and armistice in November. However, one misunderstanding in March 1918 lead to the loss of three Greek merchant ships, sunk by enemy submarines with the death of many sailors. The convoy authority in Malta had cabled Kerr with details of the route that this convoy was to take. Kerr knew this route passed through one of the areas where U-boats were operating, and he also knew that the PCO in Malta would have been aware of this fact. In consequence he did not question the instruction, which he said came from his superior. However, the Admiralty attributed blame to Kerr, which he challenged and later learned that he had been exonerated informally, but not publicly. In 1919 Kerr was awarded The Order of the Crown of Italy (Cavalier) by the King of Italy. After the war Kerr returned to Britain and for a period was a training officer in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. In 1920 he rejoined the coastguards, taking over the Boston Division that extended from Grimsby to King's Lynn. In 1923 the coastguard service transferred to the Board of Trade and Kerr took retirement from the Royal Navy. Civilian life After he left the Navy Kerr became involved in various enterprises. His maternal aunt (a daughter of the painter John James Wilson), Mary Baker (Wilson) Dawbarn (1847–1934), who had been widowed in 1917, was the proprietor of her husband's coal factor business. Kerr joined the company and borrowed about £20,000 from her to buy a 300 ft yacht to begin a luxury world cruise business. In return she was to receive £100 per month for the rest of her life. Details about the first world cruise were published in the UK and America naming Prince and Princess Andrew of Russia, Lord and Lady Teynham and Admiral Mark Kerr as being associated with the venture. The project came to nothing and the cost of renovating the yacht had proved too much for Kerr. Two new partners, who had previously expressed an interest in the yacht, came in to the business. One of these was Major Robin Thynne (1879–1936), an ex-army man. Major Robin Thynne Thynne's real name was Robert Thompson Tinn, born in Gateshead, County Durham whose father worked as an "iron turner" in the railway industry. He was the fourth of nine children, educated at a secondary school and local college. In 1900 he