Frank Horton Berryman KCVO CB (1894-1981) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

LTGEN Sir Frank Horton Berryman KCVO CB

Born 11 Apr 1894 in Geelong, Victoria (Australia)

Ancestors

Son of William Lee Berryman and Ann Jane (Horton) Berryman

Brother of Emilie Mabel Berryman, Ada Florence Berryman, Ethel Annie Berryman, William Alfred Berryman and Raymond George Berryman

Husband of Muriel A A (Whipp) Berryman — married 30 Nov 1925 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

[children unknown]

Died 28 May 1981 at age 87 in Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia

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Profile last modified 27 Jan 2024 | Created 20 May 2018

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1 Biography
2 Sources
3 See also

Biography

Frank Berryman KCVO CB is Notable.

Lieutenant General Sir Frank Berryman KCVO CB CBE DSO was an ANZAC in The Great War and a senior Australian officer in the Second World War. He is also noted for his humanitarianism, philanthropy and selflessness.

Formative years

Frank Horton Berryman was born on the 11th of April 1894 in Geelong, Colony of Victoria (Australia). He was the fourth of six children and eldest son of William Berryman, an engine driver, and Annie Horton. ^[1] Upon leaving school he obtained work with Victoria Railways as a junior draughtsman. ^[2]

In 1913 Berryman entered Royal Military College, Duntroon, however his course was required to finish early due to the outbreak of The Great War. ^[2] Of the 33 cadets on his course, nine would lose their lives in The Great War and six would go on to become Australian Generals: Leslie Beavis, Berryman, William Bridgeford, John Chapman, Edward Milford and Alan Vasey.

The Great War

Frank Berryman KCVO CB is an Anzac who served in World War One.

LTGEN Sir Frank Berryman KCVO CB was wounded at France during The Great War.

Berryman was posted to the Field Artillery upon his enlistment on 1st July 1915 in the Australian Imperial Force. His initial unit was the 4th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Division. The unit embarked for Egypt aboard the Wiltshire in November 1915. ^[3] Second Division moved to France in 1916. Berryman was promoted Captain and worked as a staff officer at HQ 2nd Division.

Major Frank Berryman

In 1917 he was promoted Major and given command of 8th Field Battery. He was Mentioned in Despatches (equivalent to today's Commendation for Gallantry) for his service in the Battle of Passchendaele; gazetted in London 28th May 1918. ^[4] Wounded in action in September, he returned to 7th Brigade headquarters as assistant brigade major, then as brigade major. In September 1918, he was appointed Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). His citation, signed by Major General Charles Rosenthal, read (in part): "During the recent operations on the Somme he has shown conspicuous activity and ability and as Group liaison with Infantry Brigades has earned great praise from Infantry Brigade commanders for his conscientious and untiring work. The work and appearance of his Battery both when in and out of the line, has been excellent, and his sound judgement and technical ability have been of the greatest assistance to his Brigade." ^[5] He was Mentioned in Despatches once more, gazetted in London 31st December 1918. ^[6]

Between wars

With hostilities over, Berryman opted to transfer back to the Militia rather than discharge. He spent the next twenty years as a Major. Berryman attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, England from 1920 to 1923. On returning to Australia, he became an inspecting ordnance officer at the 2nd Military District. He enrolled in a Bachelor of Science program at the University of Sydney. ^[2]

On 30th November 1925 in St Stephen's Presbyterian Church (now Uniting), Sydney, New South Wales, Frank married Muriel Whipp. ^[7] They had a daughter and a son.

Berryman discontinued his university studies to prepare for the entrance examination for Staff College, Camberley. Eighteen Australian Army officers sat the exam that year, but only Berryman and one other officer passed. Only two Australian officers were accepted into staff college each year, so Berryman's attendance from 1926 to 1928 marked him out as one of the Australian Army's rising talents. After graduation he was posted to the High Commission of Australia, London, from 1929 to 1932. ^[2]

Berryman was promoted to brevet Lieutenant Colonel on 12th May 1935. That was made permanent in 1938 when he became Assistant Director of Military Operations at Army Headquarters. From December 1938 to April 1940 he was General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1) of the 3rd Division.

Second World War

Frank Berryman KCVO CB is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Second Australian Imperial Force 1940-1945
7th Division Artillery; II Corps

Berryman transferred to the Second Australian Imperial Force on 4th April 1940 with the rank of Colonel and became General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1) of Major General Iven Mackay's 6th Division. In January 1941 he was promoted Brigadier and put in command of 7th Division Artillery in North Africa. It is now history that the Artillery paved the way for the hugely succesful battles of Bardia and Tobruk. Berryman was rewarded with appointment as Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). ^[8] It was with 7th Division that he also served in Syria and Palestine. A recommendation for a Bar to his DSO was downgraded to another Mention in Despatches. ^[9]

Maj Gen Frank Berryman

Upon return to Australia in 1942, Berryman was promoted Major General as a staff officer with the Australian 1st Army. Later that year he was posted as Deputy Chief of the General Staff under Sir Thomas Blamey and, simultaneously, Chief of Staff of New Guinea Force. In 1943 he was appointed commander of II Corps. His planning for the advance from Finschhafen along the New Guinea coast resulted in over 5,500 Japanese dead and 86 captured, for the loss of 12 Australians killed and 54 wounded. He was appointed Companion of the Bath (CB) in April 1945 for his part in the battle. ^[10]

From 1944 he was Blamey's representative in US General Macarthur's headquarters; for which he was awarded a further Mention in Despatches ^[11] and the US Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm in 1948.^[12]

No more wars

After the war, Berryman was appointed commander of Eastern Command as a Lieutenant General; a position he held from 1946 until his retirement in 1954. During this time he became known for his involvement in charitable organisations such as the War Widows Association, and as head of the Remembrance Drive Project. ^[2] He hoped to become Chief of the General Staff in succession to Lieutenant General Vernon Sturdee but he was seen as a 'Blamey man' by Chifley and his Labor government colleagues, who disliked the former Commander-in-Chief.

He retired from the Army to assume the position of Director General of the Royal Tour of Queen Elizabeth II in 1954, for which he was created Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). ^[13]

In 1954 Berryman was appointed chief executive of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales, a position he filled admirely to 1961. ^[2]