BERRY, Frederick Reginald
| Service Number: | 2766 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 36th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia, 13 April 1894 |
| Home Town: | St Peters (NSW), Inner West Council, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Tempe Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Fireman on the Railways |
| Died: | Died of wounds – gunshot wound to right shoulder, Military Hospital, Dover, Kent, England , 18 October 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Dover (St. James's) Cemetery, Kent England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Nov 1916: | Involvement Private, 2766, 36th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov 1916: | Embarked Private, 2766, 36th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Frederick Reginald BERRY, (Service Number 2766) was born on 13 April 1894 at Hurstville, Sydney, NSW and was educated at Tempe Public School. He joined the NSWGR&T as a cleaner in the Locomotive Branch on 24 January 1914 and was at based at Eveleigh until 15 November 1915 when he was transferred to Singleton, returning to Eveleigh on 27 December 1915.
He joined the AIF on 14 November 1916 with the rank of Private (Service No. 2766) and was posted to the 6th Reinforcements to the 36th Infantry Battalion. He gave his occupation as ‘fireman’ and nominated his father, Mr John Berry of St Peters, as his next of kin. While he did not mention it on his Attestation Paper, he had had previous military experience in the citizen’s forces, with the 35th Militia Battalion based in Marrickville.
He embarked for England on the ‘Beltana’ at Sydney on 25 November 1916, disembarked at Devonport in England on 29 January 1917. From arrival until 16 July 1917 he was in various training establishments in England, except for a period of 40 days from 26 April to 5 June 1917 when he was in hospital with venereal disease.
On 17 July 1917 he arrived at the 3rd Australian Divisional Base Depot from Southampton and remained there until 3 August 1917 when he was taken on strength of the 36th Infantry Battalion, which was then in Belgium. On 12 October 1917 he was wounded in action at Passchendaele, receiving a gunshot wound to the right shoulder. The wound was sufficiently severe to require him to be evacuated to England on 16 October 1917 where he was admitted to Dover Military Hospital seriously ill. He died of his wounds on 18 October 1917 and was buried in St James Cemetery, Dover, on 23 October 1917 with full military honours.
Subsequently his mother, Eliza Berry, was awarded a pension of 30 shillings per fortnight, with effect from 23 December 1917. When Frederick’s father died on 21 April 1920 his mother became official next of kin for ongoing communication with the AIF. Frederick’s Record Book was forwarded to the Commanding Officer of the 35th Militia Battalion, in accordance with normal practice.
(NAA B2455-3075773)
Submitted 11 May 2023 by John Oakes
Pte Frederick Reginald Berry
From Cathy Sedgwick
Died on this date - Private Frederick Reginald Berry was wounded in Belgium 12 Oct 1917 & invalided to England. He was admitted to Military Hospital, Dover, Kent with GSW to shoulder (severe). He died on 18 October 1917 & was buried St. James Churchyard Cemetery, Dover.
Private Frederick Reginald Berry was buried in St. James Churchyard Cemetery, Dover, Kent, England where 7 other WW1 Australians are buried.
ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/dover.html
Submitted 19 October 2019 by Evan Evans
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Frederick Reginald Berry was born at Hurstville, Sydney, NSW on 13th April, 1894 to parents John and Eliza Berry (nee Knight).
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 14th November, 1916 as a 22 year old, single, Fireman on the Railways from 80 Railway Road, St. Peters. Sydney, NSW.
Private Frederick Reginald Berry, Service number 2766, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Beltana (A72) on 25th November, 1916. He had been admitted to Ship’s Hospital on 17th December, 1916 with a cold & discharged on 18th December, 1916. Private Berry disembarked at Devonport, England on 29th January, 1917.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
On 30th January, 1917 Private Berry was marched in to Details Camp at Fovant, Wiltshire from Australia.
He was marched out from Camp at Sutton Mandeville, Wiltshire & marched in to 9th Training Battalion at Larkhill, near Durrington, Wiltshire on 6th March, 1917.
Private Berry was admitted to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford, Wiltshire on 26th April, 1917. He was discharged on 4th June, 1917 & was marched in to 9th Training Battalion on 5th June, 1917.
On 16th July, 1917 Private Berry proceeded overseas to France via Southampton from No. 11 Camp at Durrington, Wiltshire. He was marched in to 3rd A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Rouelles, France on 17th July, 1917 & was marched out to join his Unit on 2nd August, 1917. Private Berry was taken on strength with 36th Battalion in Belgium on 3rd August, 1917.
Private Frederick Reginald Berry was wounded in action in Belgium on 12th October, 1917. He was taken to 11th Australian Field Ambulance then transferred to 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 12th October, 1917. Private Berry was transferred to Ambulance Train & admitted on 13th October, 1917 to 8th Stationary Hospital with gunshot wounds to right shoulder. Private Berry was invalided to England on 16th October, 1917 on Hospital Ship Princess Elizabeth.
On 16th October, 1917 Private Berry was admitted to Military Hospital, Dover, Kent, England, with gunshot wounds to shoulder (severe).
Private Frederick Reginald Berry died at 8.30 pm on 18th October, 1917 at Military Hospital, Dover, Kent, England from wounds received in action – gunshot wound to right shoulder.
He was buried in St. James Churchyard Cemetery, Dover, Kent, England.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/dover.html
Click images to start slideshow.