Albert James Frederick Berry

Second Lieutenant

Conflict:

WW1

Additional Information:

Son of John and Helena Augusta Berry, of Walkham Row, Bridgend, Lostwithiel, England. Born at Stoke, Devonport.

References:

CWGC

Archives New Zealand

NZ WAR GRAVES

Public Contributions:

Submitted by: Peter Robinson

Relationship to casualty: 1st Cousin Twice Removed

Albert James Frederick BERRY (1888-1917) Father: John BERRY (1855-1890) Mother: Helena Augusta HICKS (1857-1940) Birth: 28 Apr 1888 Devonport, Devon England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1...915 [ancestry.com] + New Zealand Expeditionary Force Attestation Records. Name: Albert James Frederick BERRY. Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1888. Registration District: Stoke Damerel, Devonport, Devon. Christening: 18 May 1888 (age 0) Holy Trinity & St Saviour, Plymouth, Devon, England Source: Devon, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1920 (ancestry.com) Census: 5 Apr 1891 (age 2) Higher Polscoe, St. Winnow, Bridgend, Lostwithiel, Cornwall Address: Union Cottage, Higher Polscoe, St. Winnow, Bridgend, Lostwithiel, Cornwall. 1891 Census Name: Albert James Frederick BERRY. Where Born: Devonport, Devon, England. Relation to Head of House: Son. Head: Helena Augusta BERRY. Widow. Age 33 years. (Pensioner from HMS Serpent Fund. Husband lost on the Serpent.) Census: 31 Mar 1901 (age 12) Newland, Worcester Address: 51 Alms Homes, Newland, Worcester 1901 Census: Name: Albert, J. N. BERRY. Where Born: Devonport, Devon, England. Relation to Head of House: Boarder. Head: Helena SALTER. Age 34 years. (Matron of Choir School) Immigration: 16 Oct 1908 (age 20) to Sydney, NSW, Australia from Liverpool, England. Sailed on the vessel, MEDIC. Arrived in Sydney, Australia on 16 Oct 1908. Arrival Port: Sydney, NSW, Australia. Source: www.the-malvern-hills.uk [St Leonard's chapel, Newland, churchyard and choristers war memorial]. The fallen: Of the twenty four boys who joined the choir school between 1891 and 1908, eight were killed in the Great War. Due to the large number of casualties soldiers' bodies, if they were found, were buried close to where they fell but in some cases graves could not be located after the war. Second Lieutenant Albert Berry (1888 - 1917) number 23/362 4th Bn New Zealand Rifle Brigade was the son of seaman John Berry RN (1855 - 1890) and Helena Augusta Hicks (1857 - 1940). He joined the Newland choir school in 1894 and left in 1903. The Auckland Cenotaph database, which gives information about all who served in any war, records that Albert Berry was at Hurworth Preparatory School, Wanganui, when he enlisted in 1915. Paperspast, the NZ site with many digitised newspapers, reveals that a Mr Berry was a teacher there in 1910 and 1911 when he left to read for Holy Orders; presumably he returned later (ref 10). Hurworth seems to have been a highly-regarded school, and Arthur Porritt, 'best boy' who won the most prizes in 1913, was later a Governor General of New Zealand. The school merged with Heretaunga in 1927 forming the present Hereworth School. Albert Berry was killed in Belgium on 12th October 1917 during the battle of Passchendaele; by our reckoning he was aged 29 years. He was probably too young to remember his father who was drowned when the twin screw Torpedo Cruiser HMS Serpent launched in 1887 went down off the Spanish coast in 1890. Of the 176 men on board, 173 died. Albert had two brothers, John Archibald Berry and Joseph Hicks Berry also known as Barry. Both brothers survived the Great War, married and emigrated to Canada, as did some other Newland choirboys. Albert James Frederick Berry was born in Stoke, Devon, on 28th April 1888. He was the son of John and Helena Augusta Berry, of Walkham Row, Bridgend, Cornwall. He was a schoolmaster and was attested in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on 29th May 1915. His link with Newland is not known, it is likely that he studied at the choir school, or indeed may have taught there. He was posted as a Private in B Coy. 1st Battalion, Trentham Regiment, NZEF and, received a temporary promotion to Corporal on the same day he joined. Although he is listed as not having any previous military service, again the same day, he was promoted Sergeant. On the 15th November 1915 he arrived in Suez, Egypt and on 19 December he was sent to Marsa Matrum on the SS Scouter. On 12 February 1916 he was admitted to No 16 Staff Hospital, Marsa Matrum with Influenza. A few days later on 17 February 1916 he was admitted to 21st General Hospital Alexandria, Egypt, where his condition worsened. There he was diagnosed as having Severe Pleurisy. A month later he was back on his feet and rejoined his unit. On the 6th of April 1916 he sailed, with his unit, to France on the SS Arcadian and on 20 April 1916 he was attached to the School of Gas Instruction, not returning to his unit until July. The New Zealand Divisional history notes: "Arriving at Marseilles in April 1916, the NZ Division moved into front line trenches on May 13. This was a four-mile stretch of the line in the "quiet" sector near Armentieres. They began acclimatising to the weather and the battle conditions. The Somme Campaign began further north around Albert on July 1 1916. The NZ Division's first action there was on 15 September when they attacked the village of Flers. This was the first time tanks were used in battle. The Division was in the line on the Somme for 23 days. 1,560 were killed and 5,440 were wounded. The Division left the Somme on November 10 and spent the winter on the River Lys. The New Zealand engineers were instrumental in constructing a complex of tunnels at Arras which were important during the Battle of Vimy Ridge (9-12 April 1917)" On 13 August 1916 Albert Berry was posted to B Coy, 4th Battalion NZRB (NZ Rifle Brigade). On 12 October 1917 he was killed in action in Belgium whilst serving with this unit. [Record since amended - NZWGT] Read More

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Casualty

Service Number:

23/362

Name:

Albert James Frederick Berry

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Date of Birth:

28 April 1888

Place of Birth:

Stoke, Plymouth, Devon, England

Next of Kin:

Mrs H A Berry (mother), Waltham Road, Bridgend, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, England

Religion:

Church of England

Date of Enlistment:

28 May 1915

Locality on Enlistment:

Hurworth School, Wanganui

Place of Enlistment:

Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand

Marital Status:

Single

Occupation on Enlistment:

School Master

Employer:

Hurworth School, Wanganui

Unit:

3 New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade, 4 Battalion, B Company

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Date of Death:

12 October 1917

Day of Death:

Friday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW1

Embarkation Details

Embarkation Body:

1st Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade

Embarkation Place:

Wellington, New Zealand

Embarkment Date:

09 October 1915

Transport:

HMNZT 30
HMNZT 31
HMNZT 32
HMNZT 33
HMNZT 34

Vessel:

Maunganui or Tahiti or Aparima or Navua or Warrimoo

Destination:

Suez, Egypt

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Passchendaele New British Cemetery

Cemetery Reference:

XVI. C. 24.

Cemetery Location:

Belgium