Pte 48473 George Peter Berry

George Peter Berry was born on 09th March 1882 at 65 Wilfer Street, Wavertree to Farnworth, Cronton born ropemaker, George Peter Berry and his Wavertree born wife Mary Ellen (nee Lunt). They married in the March quarter of 1864 and had nine children. George was their final child and four of his eight siblings had died in infancy before he was born. George was baptised Roman Catholic at St Anne's Church, Wavertree on 22nd March 1882.

 

The April 1891 Census shows the family living at 26 Spekeland Road, Wavertree. George is 9 years of age and lives with his parents and three elder siblings. His father is a 48 year old ropemaker, his mother is 46 years old. His siblings, all born in Liverpool, are declared as; Mary E. a 21 year old servant, John a 17 year old carter, and Martha A. aged 12. 

In May 1891 when George is only 9 years old his father George Peter died at home aged 49 and was buried in West Derby Cemetery. 

 

The April 1901 Census shows George as a 19 year old corporation labourer living with his 52 year old widowed mother at 121 Cambridge Street Wavertree. They also have two boarders.  

 

On 18th June 1907 when aged 25, George married Wavertree born Sarah Ellen Williams also aged 25 of 47 Langdale Road, Wavertree at St. Bridget's Church, Wavertree. 

 

On 10 May 1908 the first of five children is born, a daughter, Elsie. On 25th July 1909 a son George Peter is born. On 12th January 1911 another son Albert is born.

 

The April 1911 Census shows George aged 29 and his wife and three children are now living at 13 Galloway Street Wavertree. His 63 year old widowed mother is a Boarder at 66 Hey Green Rd Wavertree. 

 

On 15th November 1912 another son Alfred is born.

 

The following November, 1913 his mother Mary Ellen dies at 56 Hey Green Road, Wavertree and buried in West Derby Cemetery. Her age is declared as 68 but she was 72. 

George enlisted as Private 48473 joining the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment.

 

On 05th March 1916 his final child William is born.

 

He  subsequently transferred to the 20th (Pals) Battalion before finally joining the 4th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. 

 

During action on 11th October 1918 with the 4th King's Special Reserve Battalion in the 98th Brigade of 33rd Division, George was killed in action aged 36 leaving a widow and five children under 10 years of age. 

He now rests at at Montay Neuvilly Road Cemetery in France. 

This cemetery was made by the 23rd Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery, on 26 and 27 October 1918. It contained originally 111 graves, mainly of officers and men of the 38th (Welsh) and 33rd Divisions, and the 6th Dorsets, but after the Armistice it was increased when graves were brought in from the battlefields west, north and east of Montay, and from certain small cemeteries. There are now 470 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War in this cemetery. 61 of the burials are unidentified but there is a special memorial to one casualty believed to be buried among them. All fell in the period October or November 1918. There is also a plot of 27 German graves within the cemetery. The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

 

His Soldiers Pay including a War Gratuity and dependents pension is paid to his wife and children at 73 Rokesmith Street off Smithdown Road, Liverpool. 

 

He is commemorated on the Edge Hill War Memorial under the name G R Berry

 

His Medals were later sold.

A further sad footnote to this biography is that his fourth child, Alfred Berry, died aged 31 on 18th April 1944 in a Japanese POW Camp in Burma while serving as Trooper 3863043 with the Royal Armed Corps part of the Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C. 45th Regt. Alfred is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial at Face 1 in Myanmar. 

 

 

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

Grateful thanks are extended to Paul Berry a relative of George who has kindly given permission for use of the photograph now shown on the site.