Nelson War Cenotaph, British Columbia

2CMR cap badge

Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Born on 11th February 1876, Robert was the fifth child of Royal Navy plumber Robert Molton Bere and his wife Eliza Ann (nee Warren). His siblings were Richard, Mary, Eliza, Alice, and Rosetta (known as Rosy), all born in Devonport. Father Robert left the Navy in 1885, his last posting being on the Temeraire, and the family moved to live in Scarborough Street in West Hartlepool where father Robert was working as a tin smith, and the younger children were at school.

It is not known when Robert arrived in Canada, but when he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1915 he was living near Nelson, British Columbia and had been working as a labourer. He enlisted with the 54th (Kootenay) Battalion at Camp Vernon on 10th June and became Private 442939 with “C Company, and he spent the summer training at the camp before sailing with the 2nd Reinforcing Draft in late October. On arrival in Plymouth the 54th was posted to Shorncliffe, Kent and in February Private Bere was then posted to 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles, part of the 8th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division and proceeded to France. Joining his new unit at La Bourse Farm on 15th March 1916, a week later he was in the front line trenches on the Menin Road at Hooge in Belgium.

On 26th March the enemy shelled 2CMR trenches with shrapnel and several men, including Private Bere, were wounded. He was evacuated to Hellfire Corner at Ypres and from there he went by train to Remy Siding at Poperinghe where he was found to be dead on arrival.

Robert Bere is remembered in West Hartlepool on W111.54 and W111.86

In Canada he is remembered on their Virtual War Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance and the Cenotaph, Nelson, British Columbia.

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual Memorial
The CWGC entry for Private Bere