SERGEANT JAMES WEBSTER BERRY
4207 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
Born in 1869 at Nerring, near Bendigo, Victoria, the son of George and Mary (nee Dressler) Berry, James completed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ and underwent a medical examination at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia on 14 February 1916.
He signed the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ and was duly enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 15 March 1916 at Blackboy Hill, Western Australia.
James stated he was aged 44 years and 4 months at enlistment and a Mining Engineer by trade. He was 5ft 9ins tall, weighed 150 lbs, had a fair complexion, blue eyes and gray hair.
He named as his Next of Kin his wife, Mrs Helen Florence (nee Halse) Berry of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The couple had married in Victoria in 1887.
James was appointed to No.6 Tunnelling Company and commenced training with them at their Blackboy Hill Camp. He was promoted to Sergeant rank on 2 May 1916 and embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia on board HMAT A69 Warilda on 1 June 1916 as a member of No.6 Tunnelling Companies 1st Reinforcements.
The 7713-ton transport Warilda had departed Sydney, New South Wales on May 22, 1916 with the 370 members of No.4 Tunnelling Company recruited in Queensland and New South Wales, and collected in Melbourne, Victoria the No.5 Tunnelling Company comprising 285 Officers and men recruited from Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.
The ship departed Melbourne on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, South Australia where a further 87 members of No.5 Company joined those already on board.
Docking at Fremantle, Western Australia on June 1, 1916, No.6 Tunnelling Company of 15 Officers and 357 Other Ranks embarked before Warilda departed for the European theatre the same day.
Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21 while St Vincent completed the African ports of call on July 7, 1916.
Discipline was fairly good except at intermediate ports where a number of soldiers went ‘Absent Without Leave’, causing some concern.
The fifty-eight day voyage experienced remarkable pleasant weather and terminated at Plymouth, England on July 18, 1916. The men of Nos.4, 5 & 6 Tunnelling Companies entrained for Tidworth to begin training for the Western Front.
James proceeded overseas to France on 28 August 1916 and marched in to the 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot at Estaples. He was marched out to the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company on 30 August and was taken on strength of that unit on 30 September.
Owing to his departure for service abroad the Kalgoorlie Western Argus on Tuesday October 3, 1916 announced the following:
A long letter was published in the Western Argus on Tuesday December 5, 1916 which describes his life serving in France:
In the same issue of the Western Argus on Tuesday December 5, 1916 a letter of thanks appeared:
He reported sick on 2 January 1917 and was admitted to the 33rd Casualty Clearing Station with conjunctivitis on 3 January. Transferred by No.12 Ambulance Train to the 4th General Hospital on 5 January, James was then sent to No.6 Convalescent Depot on 9 January.
He returned to the Australian General Base Depot on 11 January and rejoined his unit on 25 January 1917.
James Berry was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field by Headquarters, 1st Anzac Corps.
The War Diary of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company includes at Appendix 10:
The end-of-war report of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling paraphrases 2/Lt Wards report, then adds:
“For this work the following awards were given on 22/11/16: -
4207 Sgt J.W. Berry the M.M.
4400 L/Cpl J.A. Monaghan the M.M.”
The award to James was promulgated in the London Gazette of 19 January 1917 and was entered in his Personal record on 3 February.
The 3rd Company report also records.
“On 24/4/17 A review of the Company was held at Braquemont when the 1st Corps Commander, Sir Arthur Holland, K.C., D.S.O., M.V.O., decorated the following O.Rs with ribbons of the medals they had won: -
1176 2/Cpl Street, L.A. – D.C.M. 1300 Spr Cassin, W.F. – M.M.
1051 2/Cpl Jackson, E.E. – M.M. 4207 Spr Berry, J.W. - M.M.
1102 Cpl McKay, W.A. - D.C.M. 4400 Spr Monaghan, J.A. - M.M.
978 Spr Crawforde, E.A. - M.M. 4275 Spr Bird, E. - M.M.
& Lt O.R. Howie.”
The Commonwealth of Australia Gazette promulgated the award on 29 June 1917.
Sergeant James Webster Berry was Killed in Action at Hill 70 on 31 July 1917. The details of James’ death are not recorded in the end of War Report which only states:
He was buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, France. By wars end, 53 members of the 3rd Tunnelling Company had been buried in the Hersin Cemetery.
The Western Argus on Tuesday August 21, 1917:
War Pensions were granted to his widow and their two adopted children on 14 October 1917.
Probate on James’ estate was granted on 22 November 1917 at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
The following letter giving details to his widow of the circumstances of her husband’s death which was published in the local newspaper:
The Military Medal awarded to James was received by his widow on 12 March 1918.
His Personal Effects were returned to Australia in April 1918 and are assumed to have been returned to his widow.
Major Sanderson, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company, wrote to Miss Helen Florence Berry at New Bayleys G.M., Coolgardie, W.A. with photographs of the last resting place of her brother (?). It is thought that the Units records were not quite clear.
Major Sanderson had arranged the photographing of all the graves of 3rd Company men and wrote to many of the Unit’s widows in 1919.
The official photographs of James’ grave were received on 28 November 1921.
The King’s Memorial Scroll and the pamphlet “Where The Australians Rest” were sent by registered post to James’ widow in March 1922.
The Memorial Plaque for James Webster Berry was received by his widow on 14 September 1922. His Victory Medal was received on 26 March 1923.
In January 1925 Base Records wrote to the last known address in George Street, Kalgoorlie seeking a current postal address for James’ widow in order to deliver his British War Medal which had been returned to Depot unclaimed in September 1924.
LEST WE FORGET
Councillor / Sergeant J.W. Berry was a descriptive letter writer and his public life and more letters are reproduced to share these experiences.
Kalgoorlie Western Argus Tuesday February 22, 1916
NEWS
The Mayor informed the Kalgoorlie Municipal Council last night that Cr Berry had enlisted. (Applause) He thought that that action deserved the highest praise, and Cr Berry would carry the good will of the council wherever he went. The Mayor said he was sure Cr Berry would uphold the honour of Kalgoorlie, and, incidentally, the council chamber. A civic send-off would be tendered him prior to his departure, as he was the first member of the council who had been accepted for active service. Cr Berry is married. His wife and two adopted sons reside at Karalee.
Kalgoorlie Western Argus Tuesday April 4, 1916
GENERAL NEWS
Cr J.W. Berry, who is now in camp at Blackboy Hill, asked the Kalgoorlie Municipal Council, by latter, last night for six months’ leave of absence on military duties. The request was granted.
Kalgoorlie Western Argus Tuesday May 23, 1916
ITEMS OF NEWS
DECLARATION OF NORTH-EAST PROVINCE POLL
The result of the poll for the election of a member to represent the North-East Province in the legislative Council was declared at the chief polling place, the Kalgoorlie Town Hall yesterday afternoon by the returning officer (Mr E. McGinn). He announced that James Bailie Griffiths (Labour), had secured 986 Votes and James Webster Berry (Independent), 374. Mr Griffiths had a majority of 612, and he declared him duly elected. Article Abridged.
Western Argus Tuesday February 27, 1917
THE “NO” VICTORY IN THE TRENCHES
Some interesting observations on the reception in the trenches of the news of the defeat of the conscription referendum are contained in the following letter to Mr J. Boyland from Sergeant J.W. Berry, a member of the Kalgoorlie Municipal Council, who enlisted twelve months ago.
[Letter not reproduced here as more patriotism than Tunnellers on the front.]
PERSONAL
Sergeant J.W. Berry, who enlisted in the Miners’ and Tunnellers’ Corps in Kalgoorlie, from whom a letter appeared in Wednesday’s issue, is now reported to be in a hospital in London. His wife, who resides at 130 Queen Victoria-street, Fremantle, has been advised that he was hit in the eye with a piece of shell. Sergeant Berry received the Military Medal. He is still a member of the Kalgoorlie Municipal Council, who have granted him leave of absence.
Western Argus Tuesday May 1, 1917
GENERAL
Sergeant Berry has been granted further leave of six months from his duties as a councillor of the Municipality of Kalgoorlie. He has already had twelve month’s leave.
Western Argus Tuesday May 29, 1917
SENSATIONS IN THE TRENCHES
EXPERIENCES OF SERGEANT BERRY.
Sergeant J.W. Berry, writing from France, on January 29, to Mr J.W. Kirwan, M.L.C., says:—
“Arrived in E— on August 29. This is a large military camp. After various duties here, such as route marching (very much, by the way), trips to bull rings, etc., 200 of our company were picked out as reinforcements for No. 3 Co. We joined this company at —, which is about three miles behind the firing line. Went into the firing line on September 29—12 hours in and 36 out. Were under fire as soon as we reached the trenches, and a lot of heavy fighting. In this district, in the early part of the war the Huns flooded this part with troops after the retreat from Mons, and Angleterre battered them out of it again. E— is about three miles, A— nine or ten, La B— six or seven, L— about 15 miles from here. The two latter towns are held by the Huns. Our mining operations are carried on in conjunction with infantry units, but of course we work independently at our own particular duties. The artillery behind us are continually strafing the Huns with heavy metal, and mortar bombs, “rum jars,” Stokes’ mortar and rifle grenades fill the chorus with the artillery with their guns of various calibre. At nights the whole line is lighted up with the brilliancy of the star shells and parachute shells, so without any calling time the business of war goes on night and day. The burial ground extends from the foot of the trenches to hundreds of feet back from the front line, and many a mother’s son lies buried there. Hundreds of graves have simply a cross or head board, and English, Irish, Scotch, Welsh and Australians are recorded there in one embrace.
“Our position in the trench lies within the remains of what was once a thriving village. All that is left of it is about and around us, but levelled to the earth. N.C. is about a mile from here and the Mysterious Wood we can see in the distance about two miles east. Fifteen hundred Ghurkhas lost their lives in that wood, which is called The Mysterious because no man has been known to go in from our side and come out again. Our countrymen, the Australians, were on the left of us, about six miles north, at this date.
“On October 29 the Huns began strafing our lines between R.L., and hundreds of ‘Minnie Weffers’ were hurled at us, not to mention rum jars, pineapples and rifle grenades. The ‘Minnie’ is a species of mortar bomb, diameter about 10 inches and 3 feet 6 inches long, and woe to anything that comes within its reach. They are devilish things, and of course our crowd are not behind-hand, for we have a still more devilish contrivance for smashing the Hun and his works. A few days ago a bit of a scrap took place around the mouth of our shaft. A few Huns came across fired a bomb or two, and dropped a lot more in their hurry in departure. The boys acted up to the spirit of the game, hence the haste of the Huns to ‘get back.’
“The big guns have been booming all day long, and gaps of silence are filled with the noise of the smaller machines of death. The nearness of death, or rather the possibility of reaching that phenomenon, acts in various ways on our different temperaments. The crash of the gun gives you not altogether an unpleasant sensation. You are right in the thick of the whole business, there is no escape from that, and therefore everybody appears to be resigned to the conditions. You feel a certain expectation or rather a vivid interest in your surroundings. Some of the ‘blokes’ are apparently happy. One hums a tune, another a piece of lively music. You are in a tornado of death, and your senses are at a maximum alertness. A few yards away a half-dozen men are blown up. You mentally note the incident, and sorrow surges through you. However, events are passing quickly; others are falling, and your mind is alive with action, and if you are calm you can think of everything. No other tonic can so command the attention of all your faculties as the closeness of death and the immediate dead. It compels you to the most complete appreciation of life, and also of death, and it flashes though your mind that death holds something just as beautiful as life, but from safety or ignorance we cannot appreciate either under ordinary conditions. Of course you don’t think of all this stuff at once, but you get the shadow of it, then your mind passes swiftly to other things. A shell bursts in the cookhouse, exit cook and cookhouse, or one crashes into your dugout. Luckily you and your mates are outside cogitating with the vivid life if your very much alert. A Minnie Weffer drops a hundred feet away, then the earth quivers, you scatter and spread on the ground, and the life in you clutches desperately at its physical flesh and blood. Other events follow rapidly; the other incident passes, and life sings exultingly through your veins, expectantly again for life or what not. The cookhouse incident again recurs to you and you curse the shell and the man and gun that fired it, because he has jeopardised your dinner and you are very hungry. You remark to your neighbour, ‘There should be an unwritten law against destruction of cookhouses.’ Says he, ‘Put it down for the next International Peace Convention.’