Private Robert Berry
1st Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
Died of Wounds
Date of Birth: 8 December 1886
Place of Birth: Chudleigh, Devon
Date of Death: 5 April 1920 aged 34.
Buried: Teignmouth Cemetery; remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. Michael's Church, Teignmouth, Devon
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Private Robert Berry age 34.
Born in Chudleigh on 8 December 1885, baptised there on 5 May 1886, son of Frederick and Louisa Berry.
His father was born in Kingsteignton in 1854 and in 1891 was worked as a clay-cutter. His mother was born as Louisa Truman in Chudleigh in 1854.
The census records show Robert's siblings as Frederick, James, Emma, George, Albert, John, Isabella, Bertha, Eliza Louise, Lewis and Maud Berry.
In 1891 he was living with his parents and siblings in Woodway Street, Chudleigh; he was still there in 1901, but his mother was now widowed and he was working as a brickmaker.
Robert married Harriet H Grindrod (B.1887 in Bately, Yorkshire) in Quarter 4, 1910, registered at Newton Abbot; By 1911 they were living at Chudleigh Knighton and he was hole drilling in the stone quay. He was listed on 1918 Absent Voters' List and his widow was later shown living at Terra Nova, French Street, Teignmouth.
Remains of a Platelayer's hut at Teignmouth. The platelayers who checked and maintained the track used huts like these along their section of track for storing tools and shelter. SX9473 © Copyright Derek Harper ( CC By SA 2.0 )
In 1913 he joined the trade union for railway workers and according to their records he was working at Teignmouth as a plate layer (a railway employee whose job is to inspect and maintain the railway track).
Robert's death was registered on the Railway Register for WW1 as working for GWR.
Devonshire Regiment
cap badge
He enlisted on 20 January 1915 with 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment.
Robert was serving with 1st Battalion, service number *15465, when he was wounded. He was invalided out and discharged on 20 November 1919. Awarded a Silver War Badge, he died from his wounds on 5 April 1920; his death was registered at Exeter, so presume he was in hospital there.
Buried on 10th April in Teignmouth Cemetery; remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. Michael's Church, Teignmouth, Devon.
*Robert's service number is 15495 on some records.
