Trafford

Born during the December quarter 1896 in the Northwich R.D. - ref: 8a/286,
the eldest son of John Henry & Sarah Ellen Berry (nee Pickstock).

1901 Census - 15 Derby Street, Altrincham.    Son - aged: 4 - born:
Winsford, Cheshire.  Head of household - John Henry Berry - Married - aged:
27 - occ: Slater - born: Altrincham.  Also Sarah E. Berry - Wife - aged: 28
- born: Winsford.  Plus 1 younger brother.

1911 Census - 34 Peel Street, Hale.  Son - aged: 14 - occ: Confectioner's
Boy - born: Winsford.   Head of household - John Henry Berry - Married -
aged: 37 - occ: Slater & Tiler - born: Altrincham.  Also Sarah E. Berry -
Wife - aged: 39 - born: Winsford.  Plus 4 younger siblings.

He enlisted on the 23rd May 1916.   MIC - records that he was awarded only
the BWM & the VM.   He had two numbers with the RWFs - 4153 and 54703.

The 10th (Service) Bn RWF's served in the 3rd Division, 76th Brigade.

OCTOBER 1916 - They entrained at St. Pol for Acheux on the 7th - to
Bertrancourt on the 8th - to Louvencourt on the 17th for tours in the Serre
Sector.   To Bus-lès-Artois on the 21st October.    They attacked at Serre
on the 13th November, where their advance was made, in places, through
waist deep mud, against uncut German wire.  Their attack failed with the
loss of 289 casualties - one of whom was Private Berry.

On the morning of the 13th November, the 76th Brigade, led the attack with
the 10th RWF's and 2nd Suffolk's - with the 8th King's Own and 1st Gordon's
immediately behind.   The trenches were, in places, waist deep in mud,
slowing any advance, which was compounded by the fact that the fog on the
high ground at Serre had lifted, giving the German machine gunners a
perfect target.   The British were now, not only at risk of death from
enemy fire, but also by drowning if falling wounded into the mud.    The
engagement took place in the area of the Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
copses, in front of the Sheffield Memorial Park.

He was reported missing in the 08/12/1916 edition of the Altrincham
Guardian, but his death was confirmed in the 20/07/1917 edition of that
newspaper.   The fact that his death was not confirmed until July 1917,
indicates that his remains were perhaps not recovered until the spring of
1917, when the area was captured by the British on the 28th February 1917
and the bodies from the previous year could be recovered and buried.   A
third of the 300 burials in the Queen's Cemetery at Puiseux are of unknown
soldiers, which re-enforces that.

Listed in the Guardian Year Book - Roll of Honour for 1918.