Henry, known by family and friends as Harry, was born in 1883 in Gloucester, the youngest child of James and Hannah Berry. He was killed in action at the Battle of Aubers Ridge on 9th May 1915.

Harry enlisted with the Gloucestershire Regiment at the start of the Boer War in November 1899, aged just 16. As he was too young to go on active service, Harry joined the 4th Militia Volunteers, who traditionally served only within the United Kingdom. However, when asked to serve on the tiny island of St Helena guarding Boer prisoners, the whole Battalion volunteered and on the 11th January 1900, Harry set out for South Africa aboard the RMS Goth and arrived at St Helena, on 21st April 1900.

Life on the island was not as exciting as many people and newspaper reports in England at the time suggested, but it was probably here that Harry discovered his talents for sports, in particular Rugby and Hockey.

In 1902, the 4th Militia Battalion returned to England, but Harry decided to stay, transferring to the 1st Battalion and was subsequently stationed in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and India, at Trincomolee, Lucknow, Umballa, Lahore, Dalhousie and Bombay.

During this time (1902–1909), Harry continued to play Rugby for the Regiment. He was Captain of D Company’s Rugby team for five seasons, during which time they were unbeaten and Harry was often described in newspaper reports, as ‘the hero of the match’.

Unfortunately, he contracted malaria whilst in India and returned to England ahead of the Battalion. He left the colours in 1909 and worked in civilian life.

Harry joined the Rugby Club at Kingsholm Road and played for Gloucester between 1909 and 1913. Originally a three-quarter, Gloucester converted him and he was later described as ‘a fast and clever forward who shone in the line-out and in loose footwork. His physique fitted him admirably to be a forward and his introduction to the pack proved a great success.’

County honours followed and he was selected as Reserve for the England team in 1909.

In 1910, Harry was chosen to play for England in the Five Nations against Wales, Ireland, Scotland and France. The first match against Wales was the first-ever International match to be played on the newly opened grounds at Twickenham and, the first match in which England had successfully beaten Wales for more than eleven years. England also won the matches against France and Scotland, but drew 0-0 in the Ireland game. Harry scored in two of the matches. Of the one hundred and eleven international rugby players who lost their lives in France, including Harry, twenty-six were English and fifty were Scottish, Welsh and Irish. Of the 1910 England team, three other players also lost their lives, L. Haigh; R. H. M. Hands and E. R. Mobbs.

In January 1910, Harry married Beatrice Eveline Arnold of Chepstow, at St Catharine’s Church in Gloucester and together they ran the Red Lion public house in Northgate Street and then the Stag’s Head in Alvin Street. In August 1911, their first child, Harry George was born.

At the outbreak of war in August 1914, Harry was recalled for duty and, after reporting to Horfield Barracks in Bristol, he was posted with other reservists to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion and sent to guard the Woolwich Arsenal and the associated Thames forts.

As he does not have the Mons Star, but does have the 1915 Star, awarded on the basis of going overseas on 2nd February 1915, Harry probably arrived with the 1st Battalion at Marles-les-Mines on 7th February 1915.

On 14th April 1915, Harry and Beatrice’s second child, Phyllis Irene, was born and although he chose her middle name, he was never to see her.

On the 9th May 1915, after three months of life at the front and a near involvement in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, the Glosters with fifteen other regiments prepared for the Battle of Aubers Ridge. Divided into Northern and Southern; morning and afternoon attacks, the 1/Glosters went over the top with the 1/South Wales Borderers at 16.00 hours. They were savaged by machine gun fire. The Glosters and the South Wales Borderers lost 495 men between them, one of whom was Harry.

The losses in the first and as it emerged only day of the Battle of Aubers Ridge were in total 458 officers and 11,161 men, the majority within yards of their own front-line trench. Mile for mile, Division for Division, this was one of the highest rates of loss during the entire war and yet it is not generally renowned. The battle was an unmitigated disaster for the British Army. No ground was won, no tactical advantage gained.

Harry’s body was never recovered, and he is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial Memorial to the Missing, shown here.

This article is published with the kind permission of Sue Horton. If you have any information concerning Henry Berry, or would like to commemorate one of your relatives on a page like this, please contact the webmaster.

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