Berry, John

,

Chaplain John Berry

Family/Last name:
Berry
Forename(s) and initial(s):
John
Place of birth:
Blackburn, England
Date of birth:
2/9/1910
Service number:
100651
Military Unit:
British Army, Royal Army Chaplain's Department
Rank when captured:
Chaplain
POW number:
23919
Camp
Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344
Data sources
The National Archives (UK)Other Sources (WO416 records transcribed by and held at the UK National Archives. Data processed and prepared by Rick Catt and Brian Cooper + Relative's report)
View a commemorative certificate for this prisoner

Contributed by Mrs Midge Hennessy

Her husband Pat died in August 2000. He was a POW for four years (captured in Greece).

Pat brought back the photo of Father John Berry who was a much-loved Roman Catholic Chaplain. Pat said he was a wonderful, charismatic man and an inspiration to so many of them.

2. From the memories of RAF Warrant Officer Joseph Fusniak, BEM:

http://www.buckdenpike.co.uk/lamsdorfmarch.html

A Catholic Jesuit priest named John Berry helped ailing POW’s. He was like a guardian angel, and was allowed to invite POW’s to go along with him without harassment from the guards. We once went to an RAF comrade’s funeral at which a Polish family was present. They gave me a welcome meal and a few items of food, which I managed to eat during my gruelling journey. I kept contact with John after the war and I was dismayed to learn some years later that he had drowned trying to save someone in the sea.

Editor’s note: Father John Berry wasn’t a Jesuit, he belonged to the Redemptorist Fathers.

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