WW1 Casualty: Private 2152 Charles Berry - Private 2152 Charles Berry
Prescot Reporter 04/10/1915
| Unit/Regiment |
2nd Bn., South Lancashire Regiment |
| Date of Death |
28/09/1915 |
Age at Death |
23 |
Burial/Memorial
& Reference |
Etaples Military Cemetery
IV G 10A |
| CWGC Family Details (if shown) |
Native of Prescot, Lancs. CWGC record his next of kin as Mr W Berry of 16, Scotch Barn Lane.
CWGC Headstone Inscription -
TO MEMORY EVER DEAR |
| Census Details |
1901 Census -
Living at No 7, Sewell Street, Prescot are John Berry (60) and his wife Martha (55). Also there are son William (35) and daughters Jane (20), Mary (19) and Himmin (16), along with John Berry (33) recorded as a boarder, and grandsons Charles Berry (9) and William Berry (5). It is assumed that Charles and William are the sons of the younger John.
1911 Census -
Charles Berry was aged 19 and working as a Coal Miner. He lived at 10, Scotch Barn Lane, the home of his uncle, John Woodward |
| SDGW - Where Born |
Prescot, Lancs |
| Enlisted |
Warrington, Lancs |
| Resided |
Prescot |
| How Died |
Died of Wounds |
Theatre of War |
France & Flanders |
| Research Ref. No. |
P015 |
Service DetailsCharles Berry was born on 28th May 1891 in Prescot, the son of John and Mary Berry of 4 Court, Moss Street.
In August 1914, the 2nd Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment landed in France on 14th 14, just over a week after the outbreak of war. They disembarked at Le Havre with a strength of 27 officers and 980 other ranks, though Charles Berry was not yet with them.
They marched over the next few days through areas of northern France where the civilian population turned out in droves to meet and salute them, ultimately arriving at St Hilaire on the 20th. On the 21st, they again marched off, this time towards the Belgian border, finally arriving at Framieres in the late afternoon of the 22nd. They were then informed that the Germans had occupied Brussels and that the next day they would be moving forward to engage the enemy.
On the morning of the 23rd they marched off and by mid-afternoon they could see shells bursting over Mons some two miles away. Battle was imminent. By 5.30, they were entrenched and ready for action.
Early next morning, the 24th, shortly before 4 a.m., the German infantry in masses and firing from the hip, came straight for the positions occupied by the Battalion, and were met by the defenders with rifle and machine-gun fire.
The battle raged for several hours and over 1,000 German troops were estimated to have been killed. But after several hours of intense fighting against overwhelming odds, the Battalion was forced to retire from their positions covering the Mons-Conde canal to avoid being outflanked. The retreat from Mons had commenced.
By the time the Battalion reached Coyelles on the 29th and was able to regroup, the muster amounted to 14 officers and about 400 men, about half of its original strength.
The Battalion engaged in several more conflicts throughout the remainder of 1914, receiving well-needed replacements in December, by which time it was based in trenches east of Kemmel, and billeting in Ballieul when out of the line.
1915 saw a continuation of the trench warfare which defined the latter stages of 1914.
Charles Berry went to France on 26th May 1915. He appears to have been part of the Special Reserve, suggesting that he had previously served as a regular soldier, but I can find no firm evidence of this. The War Diary for the 2nd Battalion reports that they were located north of Ypres around that time, and on Sunday 30th May, and entry reads, "25 Other Ranks joined the Battalion. quiet night".
Charles was probably one of those 25 reinforcements.
By August, the Battalion was based in the Sanctuary Wood area, ready for the attack on the Bellewaarde Ridge, scheduled for 25th September.
The attack, targeting the German trenches in the vicinity of Hooge and Bellewaarde was a diversionary tactic, designed to contain the enemy reserves whist the attack on Loos took place further south.
The men marched to their positions on the 24th through a torrential downpour, resulting in them spending the night in wet clothes awaiting zero hour.
At 4.20 a.m. 'A' and 'B' companies moved over the parapet and headed for the ruins of Hooge Chateau. The Germans launched a withering machine-gun attack on the troops, and 'A' company retired when they found that the wire on their front had not been cut. 'B' company managed to reach the German trenches and several men entered and engaged in hand-to-hand fighting with the Germans, but all were killed as support could not reach them, 'B' company losing 114 out of 170 of all ranks.
The attack failed to make any impact and came to an end. In a few short hours, the battalion lost 2 officers and 26 Other Ranks killed with 6 officers and 222 OR wounded or missing.
Pte. Berry was one of the wounded and he succumbed to his wounds on 28th. He is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery. This cemetery is close to the location of the Casualty Clearing Station at which he died.
The following item appeared in the Prescot Reporter (courtesy of Ste M)
Charles Berry's Medal Index Card
Charles' grave at Etaples Military Cemetery
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