Captain James Kinkead Berry MiD
4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen,
1st Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse
1st Commander of Queensland Unit in Australian Army
by Robert Simpson
James Kinkead Berry was born in Ireland on 14th April 1848 (or 1850) in Portadown, Armagh. His parents, Thomas Berry and Margaret Hardy had seven children in all. In 1862 they all departed the docks at Liverpool for Australia and arrived at the Moreton Bay settlement on 1st January 1863. On 23rd February 1885 he married Mary Ann (Annie) Lacey at the residence of the Father of the bride at Upper North Pine. He was living at Oxley then. They settled in North Pine.
In 1891 he was appointed to the Queensland Mounted Infantry 1st Battalion D Company North Pine which was formed on 14th November. He passed both the practical and theoretical examinations to become a Lieutenant on 4th November 1892.
In 1892 the Licensing Court grants the new license for his hotel on Bush Creek Road Samson Vale in the Redcliffe District but he had to submit specification of necessary improvements for the approval of the licensing inspector. He is shown on the 1895 and 1900 Electoral Rolls as living there also. In 1893 and 1896 he was appointed to the School Committee at Terror’s Creek. The transfer of the Crown Hotel, Terror Creek, North Pine from James Berry to James Cowan was granted by the Licensing Court on 8th November 1900. At some stage he also owned a sugar mill there.
In the Queenslander newspaper on the 28th April 1900 a Government Gazette was published saying he was appointed to the Contingent of the Queensland Defence Force for special service in South Africa as Captain. He had signed the Service Roll on the 24th April. His description was 50 years old, 5 feet 8.5 inches tall, chest measurements 38.5 to 40.5 inches and being married. He was in H Company Queensland Section, Imperial Bushmen’s Contingent (4th). The 4th Contingent embarked at Pinkenba on 18th May 1900 in the steam transport “Manchester Port” No. 42. They arrived at Port Elizabeth on the 20th and on the 23rd at Cape Town, and went by train to Pretoria where they joined General Ian Hamilton’s forces. They were involved in various operations during which there was several skirmishes with the enemy. Captain Berry gave an example to a writer of the war during the chase after General De Wet, in Cape Colony. One of his Contingent, Private Jack Alford, during some rather sharp fighting, was cut off from his Company, but wandered along, hoping to be able to rejoin. He saw three men on a kopje at some distance, and rode up to them. He saw that they were Boers, but owing to his loose manner of riding and his soft felt hat, they took him for one of their number. Alford did not waste time, but ordered the Boers to “hands up” and they obeyed him, not knowing he was alone, and they were taken into camp. They turned out to be officers of the Boer forces, and one of them was De Wet’s best scout. Alford’s coolness and pluck not only saved him, but enabled him to make a good capture. On 21st February 1901 near Saxon Drift, General de Wet was attacked by Captain J. K. Berry with 50 Queensland Bushmen, whose horses had outstayed the rest of the column. On the following day after their oats and biscuits had run out, the Queenslanders were forced to return to the column. The Queenslanders had been in constant touch with the Boers, and there had been many casualties, both of men and horses. After these numerous skirmishes and battles they entrained for East London. Embarking on transport “Brittanic” on 5th July 1901 they arrived in Brisbane on the 5th August, where they disembarked the following day and were disbanded on the 10th.
After giving birth to their last child, his wife Mary passed away on 27th October 1900.
He appears on the Nominal Roll for the 1st Australian Commonwealth Horse (D Company Queensland Units, who were under his command). The company entrained for Sydney on 26 Jan 1902, where they joined the New South Wales members of the contingent. James was listed as a Captain of 51 years and 9 months age, 4th Contingent (Mounted Infantry) listed as previous service, a widower of Sherwood Queensland, with his next-of-kin listed as Brother, William Kinkead Berry of Sherwood Qld. He had rejoined on the 13th January 1902 at a rate of pay per day of 21 shillings pay and 3 shillings field allowance. They embarked on H.M. Transport “Custodian” on 20th February 1902 and disembarked at Durban on 19th March 1902. The battalion proceeded by train to Newcastle, Natal, and thence to Klerksdorp, Transvaal, arriving there on the 13th and set up camp. They joined the Column under command of Colonel de Liste, which formed part of Thornycrott’s brigade. The Column was employed in clearing the district north of Klerksdorp, and took part in a drive which commenced on 7th May, moving westward to the Kimberley-Mafeking railway blockhouse line. During the next 6 weeks, the Queenslanders were engaged in patrol work and mopping up operations, encountering little resistance. Generally, there was little activity, and the men became thoroughly bored with their role. There were no battle casualties among the Queenslanders, but two men died of illness. In this, 251 prisoners, including General de la Ray’s brother, were captured, also 300 horses, 144 rifles and bandoliers, 6000 rounds of ammunition, and a large quantity of stock. The Column then returned to Klerksdorp, reaching that place on 21st May, where the regiment remained until the declaration of peace, when they were ordered to Elandfontein to prepare for return to Australia. The regiment proceeded by rail to Newcastle on 29th June and to Durban on 9th July for embarkation. An epidemic of measles, influenza and pneumonia went through their transport “Drayton Grange” on the way home and they returned home on 13th August 1902.
Medal Rolls show he was entitled to the Queen’s South Africa Medal with 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal, as the Captain of D Company 1st A.C. Horse, and the South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902 clasps as Captain 4th Q.I.B. from 15.06.00 to 7.7.01. He was not entitled to the King’s South Africa medal. On 23rd June 1902 he was “Mentioned in Despatches” in the Queensland Contingent from Lord Kitchener for good service during the campaign.
Thomas Berry, his father, passed away on 15th May 1897 and his mother, Margaret, passed away on 14th June 1901. They are both buried in Sherwood Cemetery.
On 17th December 1902, he married Jane Sarah Harden. They had no children. The 1905 Electoral Roll has him living in Chelmer St. Chelmer with Jane and his occupation is noted as Retired D.F. Officer. In 1913, the Roll says they are living at Erindale, Chelmer and he has no occupation listed. In 1914 one of his children died at 18 years old, Thomas Hardy Berry, who died as a result of a road accident on Milton Road in Brisbane. He was riding in front of a tram, and it was not known if he fell or was hit by the tram, but ended up underneath it with the pedal of his bike pressing on his throat. James has the same address on further Electoral Rolls up to 1925. On 16th March 1926 he passed away at another home of theirs, “Dulla” at Redcliffe, where he had retired to. He was buried at St. Matthews cemetery, Sherwood, Row 1, Number 9. His obituary was published in the Brisbane Courier on Thursday 18th March 1926 and says:
“The funeral of Captain James K. Berry familiarly and affectionately known to his command during the South African War, and by all old comrades, as “Ironbark Jim”, took place to Sherwood Cemetery, yesterday forenoon. It may be mentioned that the soubriquet was given because of Captain Berry’s endurance, capacity to bear hardship, and his bright and determined nature. An old comrade, writing of his death, says:- “In the passing of Captain James Berry, or ‘Ironbark Jim’, Queensland has lost a loyal and worthy citizen, and his comrades a staunch and gallant soldier, and a true-hearted friend. The title which we all gave him, and by which we all often addressed him, was a compliment to his steadfastness”. The funeral moved from the residence of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. And Mrs. D. P. Merritt, after a short service by the Rev. Ashburner, and at the graveside the Revs. Barrett and Ashburner officiated. Relatives and close friends and old comrades attended to pay their last services of esteem.”
One of the people present was Major W. H. Berry D.S.O. one of his nephews. His Father Thomas Henry Berry was an older brother to James and had tragically drowned in 1890. William was also involved in the Boer War, being a Sergeant in the 2nd (Queensland Mounted Infantry) Contingent and being awarded the QSA with four bars. In World War 1, William had been a Captain with 1 Light Horse Brigade Train (5 Company ASC [Army Service Corps]) and had embarked from Brisbane on HMAT Omrah on 24th September 1914. While there he was awarded a Distinguished Service Order and a Mention in Despatches. The D.S.O. was while he was commanding the Australian Army Service Corps 3rd Divisional Train 867th Company and for his initiative, ability and conduct in 1917. He arrived back on 22nd July 1919 as a Major with the 5th Divisional Train.
William’s younger brother, Robert Edwin Berry was also in the Boer War as a Sergeant with the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, but was killed in battle at Onverwacht. There is a memorial to him and Acting Corporal John MacFarlane also of the 5th QIB in the Sherwood Cemetery.
Two of his brothers, Thomas Henry and Robert Hardy Berry, died when they drowned off Southport on 9th February 1890. They were trying to assist each other out of rough surf. A monument was done to them at Sherwood cemetery and was inscribed “In memory of Thomas Henry Berry, aged 42 years, and Robert Hardy Batty, aged 40 years, drowned at Southport, February 9, 1890.” On the sub-base there is the following legend: “They wore lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided,” while that on the base is, “This stone was erected by intimate friends in token of their high esteem.”
ANZAC Biographies
On our website you will find the biographical details of ANZAC (as well as British) servicemen & women
whose medals or other memorabilia form part of the collection belonging to the
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum,
Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.