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Heslop’s Local Advertiser 23/02/1917
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
James Berry was born at Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1891, the second eldest eldest of three sons and three daughters. His father Thomas Berry was born in 1829, native of Ireland and married Catherine in 1884. Catherine was born at Whitburn, South Shields in 1856, 27 years his junior. In 1901 they were living at Bowes Place, Heworth, Thomas at the age of 72 was still in employment, working as a bricklayer’s labourer, Rose, Catherine was a charwoman, their daughter Mary Ann was employed as a general servant. James’s father died between 1901-1911, his mother Catherine moved to 10 Lammas Street, Felling where James (20) and his brothers Thomas (21) and Joseph (18) supported her working as coal miners at the colliery.
On the outbreak of war James Berry was living at 7 Hawk Street, Gateshead, he enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and was enlisted as Private 768 to 'A' Coy, 25th (2nd Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, a 'Pals' Battalion raised November 9th 1914.
Before his departure June 1915 with the battalion to join the 103rd Brigade, 34th Division at Ripon, James married Margaret Douglass at Gateshead.
After further training they moved to Salisbury Plain for final training and departed to France in January 1916, concentrating at La Crosse, east of St Omer near the coast. The 25th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers took part in the opening battle on the Somme at the Battle of Albert, July 1st-13th 1916, where they captured Scotts and Sausage Redoubts.
James had been transferred into 'C' Company.
At zero hour the entire infantry of the [34th Division], consisting of the 101st, 102nd Brigade, [Tyneside Scottish] and 103rd Brigade, [Tyneside Irish], attacked in four columns, the front line leaving the British front-line trench, and the rear lines leaving from Tara and Usna Hills.
20th 23rd and 25th Battalions attacked [after the firing of the 'Y' sap mine at 7.28am], down across some 800 yards of no-man's land. The attack was cut down by machine-gun fire from Ovillers, La Boisselle and trenchs on the right of the attack. A few isolated parties made the front line trench, but were all killed.
At the first opportunity to perform roll call Private Berry was missing, his family was informed but after many months he was declared to have presumed to have been killed in action, July 1st 1916, his family received the news in early 1917.
After the Armistice and during the clearing of the battlefields at map reference 57 d. X.8. several graves were found and exhumed. One of the graves contained what initially appeared to be two bodies of servicemen from the Northumberland Fusiliers. [According to the CWGC his body was found in Map Ref. 57d.X.S. which is an area of a square mile with Ovillers-la-Boisselle located in the centre. Although he could have been found anywhere within that square mile, as he was serving with the 25th Battalion it is likely he would have been located somewhere to the south or south west of the village]. Upon further examination it was discovered that there were in fact the remains of three servicemen, later identified as that of Private 25/768 James Berry and Private 25/273 J. Habershaw, Northumberland Fusiliers and Private 12993 E. Starkey 103rd Machine Gun Corps.
Their remains were laid to rest together at Ovillers Military Cemetery, Somme France, as the lapse of time had made it impossible to distinguish between the three. They are at rest grave VIII. M. 6/7. Soldiers found and reburied in this way have their headstones raised touching one another, not to be confused however with the many cemeteries at or near hospitals and casualty clearing stations where this became the norm, due to the vast numbers of casualties and the need to maximise the allocated space. At the time of his demise in 1916 Private Berry was 25 years old.
Private Berry’s widow Margaret received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 34, Crawshay Street, Gateshead, County Durham. There were no children born from their marriage.
Margaret remarried in 1926 at Gateshead William Moore with whom she had a son William Moore Jnr born in 1927.
The CWGC have listed Private Berry’s father as James Berry this I believe is an error, confirmed by the 1901 census and the matching details of James’s mother and siblings in the census of 1911 and James’s choice of joining a regiment with Irish connections.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was announced in Heslop's Weekly Advertiser 23/02/1917.
"Private James Berry, N.F., missing since July 1st, 1916, now reported killed in action. Husband of Margt. Berry, 34 Crawshay Street, Gateshead (late of Felling)."
Newcastle Evening Chronicle Monday, 19/02/1917:
"BERRY-Felling, missing since July 1st, 1916, Pte. James Berry, aged 25 years, N.F., beloved son of Catherine and the late Thomas Berry. Deeply mourned and sadly missed by his mother, brothers, sisters. On whose soul, sweet Jesus, have mercy. R.I.P".
"BERRY-Missing since July 1st, 1916, now reported killed in action. Private James Berry, N.F., the dearly beloved husband of Margaret Berry, of 34, Crawshay Street, Gateshead, late of Felling. Thy will be done seems hard to say When one we loved was called away. Some day, perhaps, we’ll understand when we meet again in the better land. Deeply mourned and sadly missed by his sorrowing wife, mother, mother-in-law, sisters, and two brothers now in France. R.I.P".
Additional Research: Jean Atkinson/James Pasby
James Berry is remembered at Felling on F32.06, F32.22 and F32.24, also at Heworth on H92.04 and H93.07
