Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 49590 James Berry

Age: 21
From: Manchester
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
K.I.A Monday 19th March 1917
Commemorated at: Arras Memorial
Panel Ref: Bay 3

James was born in Manchester on 15th February 1896, the son of Joseph Berry and Jessie (née Drabble), who married in 1894. He was baptised in All Saints, Chorlton on Medlock on 05th April 1896, his parents’ residence 6 Cross Street, and his father’s occupation labourer.

According to the 1911 census, they had six children, four of whom had died. Only five birth registrations have been found: Frank, born in 1895 but died in infancy, James 1896, George 1897 died in infancy, Annie 1898 died in infancy, and Jessie in 1900.

At the time of the 1901 census the family is found at 9 Cross Street. Both his parents are 28, his father employed as a cement floor layer (road labourer), James is 6 (he would have been 5) and Jessie 2 (actually one year old).

His mother died shortly after the census. It is possible she and the baby died in childbirth and the baby’s birth was not registered.

His sister Jessie died in the June quarter of 1901.

His father remarried to widow Jane Ellen Collier (née Cumpstey), in 1903. She was 45, a shopkeeper, born in Ardwick, apparently twice widowed. She had married James Malley in 1877, and Abraham Collier in 1891.

In 1911 the family is living at 15 Paddock Street, Ardwick. His father, 37, is a concreter, his stepmother is 52, a general dealer on her own account, James, 15, is an office boy in a home trade warehouse, Jessie, 11, is at school.

He enlisted in Manchester as Private 2027, 8th Bn Manchester Regiment. The 8th (Ardwick) Battalion was a unit of the Territorial Force with its HQ at the Drill Hall, Ardwick Green, Ardwick. They were part of the Manchester Infantry Brigade, East Lancashire Division. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he was mobilised soon after war was declared.

The 8th Manchesters landed at Alexandria, Egypt on 10th September 1914 and went ashore at Gallipoli on 06th May 1915.

Berry, J. (2027) appears in the list of Wounded published in the Manchester Courier on 12th July 1915. (The 8th Bn Manchester Regiment were evacuated from Gallipoli on 28th December 1915 to Mudros, then to Egypt, and landed at Marseilles on 03rd May 1916, where they entrained for the Western Front.)

His medal roll shows that James subsequently served in the 1st/8th Bn K.L.R, as Pte. 6451. It is likely that he was transferred after recuperating from his wounds.

The 8th K.L.R. (Liverpool Irish) in early 1916 relieved the French south of Arras and moved to the Somme in late July, taking over a section of the front line near the village of Guillemont. They saw action at Guillemont, Ginchy, Flers-Courcelette, and Morval, and moved to Flanders in October 1916.

At some point James was posted to the 20th Bn, K.L.R. with the regimental number 49590.

There appears to be some confusion over his date of death as SDGW shows 19th February 1917 but the CWGC shows the date to be 19th March 1917. The Battalion War Diary 19th Feb 1917 training, working parties, at Monchiet, no casualties recorded.

However, in March 1917 the 20th Bn was at Agny, near Arras.

On 18th March they attacked the enemy at 10.00am and found that the trenches were unoccupied, however, the Germans held Malaby and Madragne Trenches. At 3.10pm Malaby Trench was reached. However, owing to potential booby traps left by the Germans the men were advised to dig in on a line separately approved. At 5.05pm it was decided to halt for the day and hold position.

On 19th March having received information from patrols that the enemy had evacuated from Mercatel but were holding a line on the Beaurains - Mercatel Ridge the advance resumed as 04.15am and progress was made to a line in front of the Beaurains - Mercatel Road. A note in the diary shows that by 10.30 am the enemy were heavily shelling the area although this did not overly hinder the progress. However the men also encountered heavy machine gun and rifle fire. Just before mid-day news was recieved that Cruix Croiselles was burning fiercely and that fires were seen in all villages west of the Hindenburg line. At 12.10pm further reports were recieved that Heninel, Wancourt, Guemappe and Monchy Le Preux were burning and the enemy were now holding their line from Tilloy - Harp - Telegraph Hill - Neuville Vitasse and were active with machine gun and rifle fire. At 7.20 patrols sent out to reconnoitre Cojeul Valley reported that the enemy not only occupied the valley but also the ridge in front of it. The enemy were active all day against companies with machine gun and sniper fire especially in the direction of Neuville Vitasse.

The casualties suffered by the battalion 18th-21st March:
Killed 7 O.R., Wounded 18 O.R.

1 Officer and 5 O.R. taken prisoner

1 O.R. Missing, believed POW

It is entirely likely that the action of the 19th March described in the Battalion diary was when James was killed in action and he was one of the 7 Other Ranks referred to as killed.

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Arras Memorial.

The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918. Canadian and Australian servicemen killed in these operations are commemorated by memorials at Vimy and Villers-Bretonneux. A separate memorial remembers those killed in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, with sculpture by Sir William Reid Dick. The memorial was unveiled by Lord Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Air Force on the 31 July 1932 (originally it had been scheduled for 15 May, but due to the sudden death of French President Doumer, as a mark of respect, the ceremony was postponed until July).

His medal index card shows three service numbers 2027 with the Manchester's and both 6451 and 49590 with the King's Liverpool Regiment.

James earned his three medals.

His Army effects and a War Gratuity of £12 went to his “mother” Jane E. She was awarded a pension of 7/- a week from October 1917, then living at 4 Selby Street, Ardwick.

A Remembrance noitce was placed in the Manchester Evening News on the first anniversary of his death on 19th March 1918

BERRY - In loving memory of Private J. BERRY, 49590, 1/8th Manchester Regiment, killed in action, March 19, 1917.

His heart was good, his spirit brave,

and now he lies in a hero's grave.

Fondly remembered by Carrie, Mr and Mrs GURNILL.

James is commemorated on the St. Thomas Church, Sunday and Day School Roll of Honour, Ardwick.

His step mother Jane Ellen died on 19th February 1929 and his father Joseph died 31st January 1932.

We currently have no further information on James Berry, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

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