Lest we forget: BERRY, John – King’s Own Royal Border Regt

Surname: Berry
First Name: John
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Junior Service Location: Oswestry
Junior Service Date: 1966-68
Junior Company: C
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Regiment: King's Own Royal Border Regt
Regular Service Date: 1968-1980
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Age: 58
Date of Death: 2008 April 2
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From Eddy Wilson – I served alongside John in the Signals Pl of my Regiment and as Coy Det Comd of Support Coy when I moved on to the Mortar Pl. He also worked with my company in NI on Int tasks. We even both as RSI’s worked together many a time with the Regimental Signals cadres. During many years of working with John I was unaware he was IJLB Oswestry working the dates back he would have been at Oswestry 1965-68. John also took brother Dave on his Sigs Stage 2 cadre in 1974.

From the Barrow Evening news – A fitting tribute to an army stalwart. Published on 12/04/2008 The military funeral given to veteran John Berry was a fitting tribute to a soldier who dedicated much of his life to the army. Mr Berry 58 served his country for 12 years with the colours and went on to help reform the Furness branch of the regimental association. He joined the army as a Junior Leader aged just 15 and was sent to Oswestry on the Welsh border excelling in the more technical aspects of soldiering. After completing his two years boys service Mr Berry of Keith Street, Barrow was posted to the 1st Bn King’s Own Royal Border Regiment in 1968. He served in Bahrain, Aden, Cyprus, Kenya, France, Gibraltar, West Germany, Berlin and completed many tours of Northern Ireland. The service held on Thursday at St George’s Church in Barrow carried a eulogy by Mr Berry’s brother who spoke of his commitment to the regimental association. Tom Berry said: “John was the standard bearer for many years taking great pride in the significance of this prestigious role. Throughout his life there is one redeeming quality that rings out and that he was there to help others even at his own expense. His technical skills enabled Mr Berry to join the signal platoon becoming the battalion’s photographer with the intelligence section. He continued in the signal platoon progressing to the role of senior regimental signal instructor where he remained until his departure from the army in 1980. Having left the army he worked as a security guard in the shipyard before deciding he wanted to better himself subsequently achieving an Honours degree at Bolton University in electronics. After reviving the Furness branch of KORBR Mr Berry went on to make it one of the strongest branches in the association. He battled to save KORBR and the 300 years of tradition it represented before the regiment became part of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment. Albert Brennan who succeeded Mr Berry as branch secretary said: “He was a vociferous opponent of the amalgamation but when the amalgamation came he was one of those who said we are going to move with the times John was the driving force in getting the Furness branch back on its feet again and now we have about 54 members of which 42 are active. Mr Berry leaves brothers Peter Tom Mike Dave and Adrian.