Norman Berry

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher.

Norman Berry was born on the 22nd April 1905 in the Wigan registration district, the son of Moses & Ellen Berry (née Sharrock), who had married in the same registration district in the June quarter of 1896. Moses was working as a Coal Hewer. Their eldest son, Reginald Berry, had been born in the December quarter of 1896 and he is seen with his parents on the 1901 census living at 54, Marsh Green, Pemberton, Wigan, Lancashire.

The 1911 census shows that the family are now living at 200, Ormskirk Road Newtown, Pemberton, and Norman is seen for the first time. Moses Berry, 44, is still a ‘Hewer’ and his eldest son, Reginald, 15, is now working as Pony Driver in the Coal Mine. But we also discover that they had had four children but sadly two of them had died.

I don’t know how Norman met his bride to be, but he married Susannah Hesketh on the September quarter of 1933 in the Prescot registration district. They had a son, Samuel M. Berry, who was born on the 12th of June 1935, but he is seen on the 1939 National Register as Maximilian S. Berry. He inherited the name Maximilian from his mother Susannah’s side of the Hesketh family. The name Maximilian was passed down the generations by the Hesketh family.

The 1939 National Register was taken on the 26th of September 1939 and we find Norman and his wife Susannah living at 1, Back Clarendon Road, Blackpool, Lancashire. Norman was working as a Crane Banksman but he is also recorded as being an ex-Hotel Waiter.

Sadly, I have no other information on Norman, neither his early or teen years, but he was to find himself fighting on D-Day and laid down his life for our freedom. He had been assigned to the shore base of HMS President III and on D-Day he was was serving on board the Norwegian cargo ship SS Reiass, a Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship (DEMS).

In the night of June 13th 1944, SS Reiaas was in convoy FWC-5 sailing from the Baie de La Seine to the Solent, when she collided with the British steamer SS Folda off Sword Beach. In the collision, the gunner's cabin was hit, trapping two gunners, Norman Berry and Horace Walker, inside. Despite the efforts of their crew mates, they were not able to free them and the two men went down with the ship when the Reiass sank when the weather deteriorated. Norman Berry has no known grave and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial to the Missing.

I believe Norman's wife, Susannah, remarried in the December quarter of 1957 to William Tyrer in the Blackpool registration district. She died on the 26th of September 1983.

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information
Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of Norman Berry. If you are aware of one, or you are related to Norman, we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.