Royal Munster Fusiliers / Oxon & Bucks LI knowledge needed

[phsvm]

Hubert Stanbrook Berry - sometimes listed as Hebert - was born in 1894.

 

A contemporary newspaper report confirms he enlisted in Abingdon (then Berkshire) on 21 December 1914, along with his brother Charles.  Both were posted to the OBLI. His number - 17120.  His brother Charles 17119.  Charles died in France on 21 March 1918.

 

Hubert's MIC shows he went to the Balkans in October 1915.  In Septmber 1916, by now a Sergent, he appears to have been transferred to the 6th Royal Munster Fusilliers - number 20008, although the Medal Rolls list him as being with the Royal Inniskilling Fusilliers but with the same number.  He was transferred to the reserves in October 1919.

 

So now my question.  His son has told me his father "served in Persia during the first world war, running or helping to run a prisoner of war camp" and he "didn’t return to the UK after then war until 1920 as they marched back in stages across Europe.".  Obviously he doesn't know how much of this is true but can anyone shed any light on this?

 

 

 

Edited 6 October , 2019 by phsvm

[kenf48]

On 29/09/2019 at 14:35, phsvm said:

So now my question.  His son has told me his father "served in Persia during the first world war, running or helping to run a prisoner of war camp" and he "didn’t return to the UK after then war until 1920 as they marched back in stages across Europe.".  Obviously he doesn't know how much of this is true but can anyone shed any light on this?

 

 

 

Actually, you need Royal Munster Fusiliers (RMF) 'knowledge' although posted overseas with the OBLI it seems unlikely he went on active service with them.

 

The medal rolls show he was initially attached to the Royal Munster Fusiliers before being posted into that Regiment and renumbered 20008.

 

The service record of 17137 OBLI /20004 RMF Batchelor gives a good indication of his probable service.

 

Pte Batchelor enlisted on the 31st December 1914 and was posted to the 9th (2nd Reserve) Battalion of the OBLI.  On the 30 September 1915 he embarked Devonport for the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.  On disembarkation he was attached to the 6th Bn RMF  and was eventually posted to that battalion and renumbered 20004 on the 26th September 1916.

 

Similar record 20005 Batson unfortunately the RMF Roll is alphabetical but without digging too far a Percy Berris apparently followed a similar route and was numbered 20159 so it appears quite a sizeable draft from the OBLI into the RMF, at least 150+.

 

As to the family story, he may have been guarding a pow camp however the garrison area in the Salonika theatre was known as the 'Birdcage'

https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/salonika-campaign which may or may not have been a misinterpretation on the part of the family.  Certainly prisoners would have been held within the defensive perimeter.

 

The 6th Bn RMF left Salonika in September 1917 and fought in the Palestine Campaign, one casualty in that campaign was  Pte Aslin 20001, formerly 17616 OBLI.  In April 1918 they left Egypt for France and were eventually disbanded in August see LLT

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/royal-munster-fusiliers/

 

Sgt Berry was demobilised to the Class Z Army Reserve on 11th October 1919.  He is listed on the Medal Roll of the Royal Munster Fusiliers, any mention of the Inniskilling is probably a typo.

 

Ken

 

 

 

[phsvm]

Thank you Ken.  As you'll see I've amended my title.

 

If anyone can add to Ken's very useful comments I'd be eternally grateful.