Tower Museum to premiere film on the life of US war hero
3 November 2023
A special event will take place in the Tower Museum next week to premiere a new film capturing the dramatic story of a US war hero who spent his final days in Derry during the First World War.
Local genealogist and author David Jenkins is behind the film, based on his book 'Captain Kokeritz; An American Hero', which launched last year. The event will also feature the launch of the second edition of the book.
David worked closely with Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Museums Services team to piece together Captain Erik Kokeritz’s remarkable story after hearing about his exploits.
Looking ahead to the event, archivist with the Tower Museum, Bernadette Walsh, said the event provided an opportunity to revisit the fascinating story. “Captain Kokeritz’s heroics made headlines around the world during the war, but his story has mostly been forgotten, until David Jenkins uncovered his unmarked grave at Derry’s City Cemetery.
“David approached myself and museum genealogist Brian Mitchell to see if he could find out more about Captain Kokeritz, which took us on a fascinating journey. Fortunately, a lot of his military activity was well documented in the press at the time and we were able to piece together more information about his final days spend here in the City. “He was only 43 when he died, and despite his amazing contribution to the war effort, his grave remains without a headstone today. The new film and second edition will reveal even more about his exploits and ensure that his heroic efforts won’t be forgotten.”
The 2nd Edition of ‘Captain Kokeritz, An American Hero, A True Story’ takes a more in-depth look at the early years of the captain's time in San Fransico, as David Jenkins explained. “This second edition focuses on the political situation that took place between the American and German governments before and after the captain’s breaking through the German blockade, along with many more stories from the crews of the Rochester and Orleans about their survival in the treacherous seas of the North Atlantic.
“It also features many never seen before photographs of the captains and their crews along with a section dedicated to the unveiling of Captain Kokeritz headstone at the City Cemetery last year.”
The launch event is free and takes place in the Tower Museum on Saturday 11th November at 1pm. Places can be booked by contacting