Private Ernest John Henry Berryman of Glen Forbes, who was killed in action in 1918, is among those honoured by the Bass plaque. Two days after leading a crazily brave attack on enemy lines in April 1918, Ernest Berryman of Glen Forbes, was killed in action. He is buried in a French cemetery.
The young private is one of 103 service men and women with connections to the Bass Valley district who will be honoured at the unveiling of a plaque in Bass next month.
The plaque will be unveiled at 2pm on Sunday, October 7, opposite the Cenotaph in Hade Avenue, Bass, followed by a presentation at the local cricket club, where many of the soldiers played cricket before enlisting.
BASS Valley Friends of the RSL secretary Trish Thick says descendants of the Anzacs are warmly welcome to attend both events but they need help in locating them. (The Anzacs’ names are listed below.)
The young private is one of 103 service men and women with connections to the Bass Valley district who will be honoured at the unveiling of a plaque in Bass next month.
The plaque will be unveiled at 2pm on Sunday, October 7, opposite the Cenotaph in Hade Avenue, Bass, followed by a presentation at the local cricket club, where many of the soldiers played cricket before enlisting.
BASS Valley Friends of the RSL secretary Trish Thick says descendants of the Anzacs are warmly welcome to attend both events but they need help in locating them. (The Anzacs’ names are listed below.)
CLICK TO ENLARGE The plaque lists their rank, service number, medals and whether they survived the war. Of the 103 who left, 33 did not return.
Among the stories uncovered by the Friends group are those of two local soldiers, Ernest Berryman and Charles Hyatt, who were both decorated for gallantry.
Private Ernest John Henry Berryman, M.M. 2288A 48th Battalion, Australian Infantry, was the son of Son of Alfred Caleb and Matilda Berryman of “Pine Grove”, Glen Forbes.
He was awarded the Military Medal for coolness and courage during an enemy attack on Australian lines on April 3, 1918.
The dispatches relate: “When the enemy barrage ceased and the first wave of the attackers appeared, he seized a bag of bombs, rushed across the rails exposed to machine gun and sniper fire, walked behind a hedge until the enemy were in range and with his bombs greatly assisted to disorganize the attack. He then used his rifle and later returned to our lines with a wounded comrade.”
Private Berryman was killed two day later, on April 5, 1918, aged 26, and is buried at Millencourt Communal Cemetery in France.
Lance Corporal Charles Edgar Hyatt, DCM, 669 29th Battalion, B Company, was the son of Mrs Ursula Hyatt of Grantville.
According to dispatches, when intense machine gun fire by the enemy held up an attack on Nauroy on September 29, 2018, he was placed in charge of seven men with instructions to make a reconnaissance forward, and if possible, clear the village.
“This task was successfully accomplished with the greatest dash and gallantry charging and capturing two machine guns in succession and killing the crews.”
Lance Corporal Hyatt returned to Australia on April 13, 1919.
After the unveiling Steven Oates will give a presentation called The Longest Innings: Towards 150 years of Cricket across Bass District in the Kilcunda-Bass Cricket Rooms, where several of the local Anzacs played cricket. They include J.A. Bothwell, C.E. Hyatt, DCM, A.E. and H. A. Potter, L.M. Hamilton, A. Argent, A. McNabb, C.H. Palmer and H.C. Stratford.
Any descendants of the Anzacs or cricket members are invited to attend both functions. Contact Bass Valley Friends of the RSL on 0409 851 599 or bassvalleyfriendsofthersl@gmail.com.
Among the stories uncovered by the Friends group are those of two local soldiers, Ernest Berryman and Charles Hyatt, who were both decorated for gallantry.
Private Ernest John Henry Berryman, M.M. 2288A 48th Battalion, Australian Infantry, was the son of Son of Alfred Caleb and Matilda Berryman of “Pine Grove”, Glen Forbes.
He was awarded the Military Medal for coolness and courage during an enemy attack on Australian lines on April 3, 1918.
The dispatches relate: “When the enemy barrage ceased and the first wave of the attackers appeared, he seized a bag of bombs, rushed across the rails exposed to machine gun and sniper fire, walked behind a hedge until the enemy were in range and with his bombs greatly assisted to disorganize the attack. He then used his rifle and later returned to our lines with a wounded comrade.”
Private Berryman was killed two day later, on April 5, 1918, aged 26, and is buried at Millencourt Communal Cemetery in France.
Lance Corporal Charles Edgar Hyatt, DCM, 669 29th Battalion, B Company, was the son of Mrs Ursula Hyatt of Grantville.
According to dispatches, when intense machine gun fire by the enemy held up an attack on Nauroy on September 29, 2018, he was placed in charge of seven men with instructions to make a reconnaissance forward, and if possible, clear the village.
“This task was successfully accomplished with the greatest dash and gallantry charging and capturing two machine guns in succession and killing the crews.”
Lance Corporal Hyatt returned to Australia on April 13, 1919.
After the unveiling Steven Oates will give a presentation called The Longest Innings: Towards 150 years of Cricket across Bass District in the Kilcunda-Bass Cricket Rooms, where several of the local Anzacs played cricket. They include J.A. Bothwell, C.E. Hyatt, DCM, A.E. and H. A. Potter, L.M. Hamilton, A. Argent, A. McNabb, C.H. Palmer and H.C. Stratford.
Any descendants of the Anzacs or cricket members are invited to attend both functions. Contact Bass Valley Friends of the RSL on 0409 851 599 or bassvalleyfriendsofthersl@gmail.com.