Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private W. E. Berry, 20th Middlesex (Euston Square) Rifle Volunteer Corps, who was awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal in Bronze for saving life at Great Yarmouth in August 1880

Volunteer Force Long Service Medal (2504 Pte. W. E. Berry. 20 / Midd’x. V.R.C.) engraved naming; Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (successful) (William Ed. Berry. Aug. 26, 1880. Duplicate) with integral top riband buckle, the RHS Medal a Duplicate, light scratches to first and suspension claw crudely re-affixed on latter, nearly very fine (2) £80-£100

William Edward Berry was born on 1857 at Brompton, Middlesex. He was a commercial traveller, and at the age of 21, was commended for an award for saving life at Great Yarmouth and was awarded the Royal Humane Society’s Bronze Medal (R.H.S. Case No. 21079).

The Norwich Mercury of 6 November 1880 reported, under the heading ‘Reward for Bravery’, that:
‘Mr. W. Berry son of Inspector Berry of Gravesend, and late Inspector of the Great Yarmouth Police Force, has been awarded the Royal Humane Society’s Bronze medal for rescuing a young man named Bartram, who was nearly drowned while bathing on the beach last summer.’

In the 1911 Census he is recorded as a commercial traveller for a galvanised iron manufacturer and was residing at Brownhill Rdoad, Catford.

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