| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
John Watson Berriman was born 31 Aug 1892 at North Dalton, the son of Adam Berriman and Mary Annie nee Baron. John attended St Mary's Boys' School, then won a scholarship to Beverley Grammar School. In 1911 Adam and Mary Annie Berriman and their five children were living at 59 Norwood and John was working as a shipping clerk for the Ellerman-Wilson Line, who were to be his employers for forty-seven years.
John joined the Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment as a territorial soldier at the beginning of the War. A month later, on 5 Oct 1914, John married, by special licence, Jessica Elizabeth Robson at Beverley Minster.
The medal rolls for John W Berriman of the 2nd/8th Royal Warwickshire Regiment make no mention of his service with the Yorkshire Regiment, and give no embarkation date. The 2nd/8th Battalion Warwickshire Regiment took part in the Battles of 3rd Ypres (Passchendaele) in the autumn of 1917. It was announced in the London Gazette of 19 Oct 1917 that Corporal John W Berriman had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. The citation for his 'conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty' when he 'showed great fearlessness and initiative' was published in the London Gazette of 25 Jan 1918. John was quickly promoted to the rank of sergeant, swiftly followed by a recommendation for a commission. By May 1918, when John was an Officer Cadet at Lichfield, he was given special leave to attend a Military Service and parade in his honour at St Mary's Church, when he was officially presented with his medal by Mr Harry Wray, Mayor of Beverley. A full account, with two splendid photographs of Officer Cadet Berriman appeared in the Beverley Guardian of 1 Jun 1918.
2nd Lieutenant John Watson Berriman, DCM was commissioned into the Tank Corps 13 Nov 1918 and served with the Corps until December 1920. He returned home to Beverley and resumed his occupation with the Ellerman-Wilson Line.
John and Jessie Berriman had one child, John Alexander Berriman born 19 Mar 1916 at Eastgate, Beverley. John Watson Berriman died in Westwood Hospital 18 Mar 1954. aged 61 years and is buried in Queensgate Cemetery
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |