Frank Horton Berryman
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Sir Frank Horton Berryman, KCVO
, CB
, CBE
, DSO
(11 April 1894 – 28 May 1981) was an Australian Army
officer who rose to the rank of lieutenant general
during the Second World War. The son of an engine driver
, he entered Duntroon
in 1913. Graduating early due to the First World War, he served on the Western Front
with the field artillery
. After the war, he spent nearly twenty years as a major.
Berryman joined the Second AIF
on 4 April 1940 with the rank of full colonel
, and became General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1) of the 6th Division. He was responsible for the staff work for the attacks on Bardia and Tobruk
. In January 1941, Berryman became Commander, Royal Artillery
, 7th Division and was promoted to brigadier
. During the Syria-Lebanon campaign
, he commanded "Berry Force". He returned to Australia in 1942, becoming Major General General Staff of the First Army. Later that year, he became Deputy Chief of the General Staff under the Commander in Chief, General
Sir Thomas Blamey
, who brought him up to Port Moresby
to simultaneously act as chief of staff of New Guinea Force
. Berryman was intimately involved with the planning and execution of the Salamaua-Lae campaign
and the Huon Peninsula campaign
. In November 1943, he became acting commander of II Corps, which he led in the Battle of Sio
. In the final part of the war, he was Blamey's representative at General of the Army
Douglas MacArthur's headquarters and the Australian Army representative at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.
After the war, Berryman commanded Eastern Command. He directed the military response to the 1949 Australian coal strike
. Berryman hoped to become Chief of the General Staff but was passed over as he was seen as a "Blamey man" by Prime Minister
Ben Chifley
. He retired and became the Director General of the Royal Tour
of Queen Elizabeth II
in 1954. He was Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
from 1954 to 1961.
on 11 April 1894, the fourth of six children and the eldest of three sons of William Lee Berryman, a Victorian Railways
engine driver
, and his wife Annie Jane née Horton. William Berryman joined in the 1903 Railway Strike and, when it failed, was reinstated with a 14.2% pay cut, only regaining his 1903 pay level in 1916. Frank was educated at Melbourne High School, where he served in the school Cadet Unit
, and won the Rix prize for academic excellence. On graduation, he took a job with the Victorian railways as a junior draughtsman
.
In 1913, Berryman entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon
, having ranked first among the 154 candidates on the entrance examination. Of 33 members of his class, nine died in the Great War, and six later became generals: Leslie Ellis Beavis, Frank Horton Berryman, William Bridgeford
, John Austin Chapman, Edward James Milford and George Alan Vasey. The Great War caused his class to be graduated early, in June 1915. At this time, Berryman was ranked fifth in order of merit.
William Throsby Bridges
decided that regimental duty would rectify that deficiency, so he allotted the Duntroon cadets as regimental officers of the First AIF
, rather than as staff officers. Cadets were given the choice of service in the infantry
or light horse. One cadet, Lawrence Wackett
, protested that he wished to serve in the technical services. When asked if they would prefer the technical services, twelve cadets, including Berryman, Beavis, Clowes, Vasey, and Wackett stepped forward. Berryman was commissioned as a lieutenant
in the Permanent Military Forces (PMF) on 29 June 1915, and joined the First AIF
, in which he was commissioned as a Lieutenant on 1 July 1915. He was posted to Lieutenant Colonel
Harold William Grimwade
's 4th Field Artillery Brigade of the 2nd Division Artillery, along with Vasey and Milford. Berryman embarked for Egypt with the 4th Field Artillery Brigade on the transport Wiltshire on 17 November 1915. In Egypt, Berryman briefly commanded the 4th Brigade Ammunition Column before it was absorbed into the 2nd Division Ammunition Column.
The 2nd Division moved to France in March 1916. Berryman became a temporary captain
on 1 April 1916, a rank which became substantive on 10 June 1916. In January 1917, he was posted to the 7th Infantry Brigade as a trainee staff captain. During the Second Battle of Bullecourt
he served with 2nd Division headquarters. He was appointed to command the 18th Field Artillery Battery, and became a temporary major
on 1 September 1917, which became substantive on 10 September 1917. This was as far as he could go, for Duntroon graduates could not be promoted above major in the AIF. This was the result of an AIF policy aimed at giving them a broad a range of experience, which would benefit the post-war Army, while not allowing an accumulation of young officers of high rank, for whom the reduced post-War Army would not have sufficient posts.
While commanding the 18th Field Battery, he saw action at the Battle of Passchendaele. For his service as a battery
commander in this battle, he was Mentioned in Despatches. His citation read:
In September 1918, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
. His citation, signed by Major General Charles Rosenthal
, read:
Berryman was later nominated for a bar
to his Distinguished Service Order for the September 1918 fighting, but this was subsequently downgraded to a second mention in despatches. He was wounded in the right eye in September 1918 while he was commanding the 14th Field Artillery Battery. Although his wound was serious enough to warrant hospitalisation, there was no permanent damage to his vision. However, it was the end of his career as a battery commander, as the Army took the opportunity to transfer him to a staff post. From 28 October 1918 to 1 July 1919, he was Brigade Major
of the 7th Infantry Brigade. He returned to Australia in October 1919.
major on 1 March 1923, but was not promoted to the substantive rank of major until 1 March 1935.
Berryman attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich from 1920 to 1923. On returning to Australia, he became an inspecting ordnance officer at the 2nd Military District. From its headquarters at Victoria Barracks, Sydney
, the 2nd Military District administered the Army in most of New South Wales. He enrolled in a Bachelor of Science
program at the University of Sydney
. On 30 November 1925, he married Muriel Whipp. They eventually had a daughter and a son.
Berryman discontinued his university studies in order 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. His attendance of the staff college from 1926 to 1928 marked him out as one of the Australian Army's rising talents. It also allowed him to forge useful contacts with the British Army. Berryman later recalled that "The advantage of this was that in war we had the same doctrine of tactics and administration, which was essential if we had to work together. More than that, the officers who had to carry out their duties in cooperation knew each other personally." After graduation he served at the High Commission of Australia, London, from 1929 to 1932, serving under the Military Liaison Officer, Major General Julius Bruche.
After nearly twenty years as a major, Berryman was promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel
on 12 May 1935. Promotion to substantive rank, which carried the rank's pay as well as status, occurred on 1 July 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. The slow rate of promotion of regular officers in the inter-war years fostered a sense of injustice and frustration among officers with good war records who found themselves outranked by militia
officers who had enjoyed faster promotion.
The final straw for many regular officers was Prime Minister
Robert Menzies
' announcement that all commands in the Second AIF
would go to militia officers, which Berryman considered "a damn insult to the professional soldier, calculated to split the Army down the centre. We were to be the hewers of wood and the drawers of water. We, the only people who really knew the job, were to assist these militia fellows."
Berryman joined the Second AIF on 4 April 1940 with the rank of full colonel
, receiving the AIF serial number of VX20308, and became General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1) of Major General Iven Mackay's 6th Division, in succession to Sydney Rowell
who stepped up to become chief of staff of the I Corps. Berryman soon established a good working relationship with Mackay. Despite the friction between Militia and Staff Corps officers, Berryman chose to assess officers on performance. This meant that while Berryman viewed some Militia officers, like Brigadier
Stanley Savige
of the 17th Infantry Brigade, with disdain, he maintained good relations with others. There were also personal and professional rivalries with other Staff Corps officers, such as Colonel George Alan Vasey. Yet even those who disliked Berryman personally for his lack of patience and tact and referred to him as "Berry the Bastard" respected his abilities as a staff officer.
Mackay was determined that the Battle of Bardia
would not be a "schmozzle". Berryman's talent for operational staff work came to the fore. From studies of aerial photographs, he selected a spot for the attack where the terrain was most favourable. His plan provided for the coordination of infantry, armour and artillery. While at times he proved secretive and hard to deal with, during the battle his forceful personality provided a good foil to the sometimes indecisive Mackay. later that month Berryman planned the equally successful Battle of Tobruk. For his services in this campaign, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(CBE).
in Arthur "Tubby" Allen
's 7th Division, and was promoted to brigadier
. During the Syria-Lebanon campaign
, Berryman demonstrated that he was a thrusting commander who led from the front and repeatedly demonstrated his coolness under fire. When his headquarters came under shell fire for the first time, Berryman sat calmly eating his breakfast "among the flying brick dust and bursting shells", simply telling the men to shut the door, "so they can eat breakfast without being covered in dust".
During the Vichy French counterattack, Berryman was given command of the Australian forces in the centre of the position around Merdjayoun. This scratch force became known as "Berryforce". His mission was to check the enemy advance in the Merdjayoun area. Berryman decided that the best way to do this would be to recapture Merdjayoun. This presented considerable difficulty, for although his force contained two infantry battalions, the 2/25th and 2/33rd
, and a pioneer battalion, the 2/2nd, his headquarters was not equipped to control a battle in the manner of an infantry brigade, as it lacked appropriate staff and communications. Moreover, while he was supported by mechanised cavalry and 22 artillery pieces, the opposing French forces had tanks.
For the next two weeks, the outnumbered Berryforce attempted to retake the strategically important town in the Battle of Merdjayoun
. His first attempt was a failure. After carrying out a personal reconnasance on 18 June, Berryman tried again. This time his attack was halted by staunch defence by the French Foreign Legion
and tanks. Berryman then tried a different approach. Instead of attempting to capture the town, he seized high ground overlooking the French supply lines. faced with being cut off, the French withdrew from the town. Berryforce was then dissolved and Berryman returned to his role as commander of the 7th Division artillery.
The 7th Division was now concentrated in the coastal sector. Berryman clashed with Brigadier Jack Stevens
of the 21st Infantry Brigade
over the siting of Berryman's artillery observation posts, which were in front of the infantry's front lines. Berryman wanted Stevens' positions advanced so as to obtain effective observation of the enemy's lines for Berryman's gunners. Stevens refused, hampering Berryman's efforts to support him in the Battle of Damour
. Despite this, Berryman implemented an effective artillry plan. In the final stage of the battle, Berryman, without authority, ordered Lieutenant Colonel Denzil MacArthur-Onslow
of the 2/6th Cavalry Regiment
to pursue the retreating French forces, but was overruled by Savige and Allen. For his part in the campaign, Berryman received a third mention in despatches.
John Lavarack
, again in succession to Rowell, who became Deputy Chief of the General Staff (DCGS). Berryman arrived in Jakarta
by air with the advance party of the I Corps headquarters staff on 26 January 1942 to plan its defence. Berryman reconnoitred Java and prepared appreciations of the situation. Berryman also attempted to find out as much as possible about Japanese tactics through interviewing Colonel Ian MacAlister Stewart
. This information found its way into papers circulated throughout the Army in Australia. It soon became apparent that the situation was hopeless and any troops committed to the defence of Java
would be lost.
Berryman returned to Australia, where he was promoted to Major General
on 6 April 1942, when he became Major General General Staff — chief of staff — of Lavarack's First Army. On 14 September 1942, Berryman became DCGS under the Commander in Chief, General
Sir Thomas Blamey
, in succession to Major General
George Alan Vasey. When New Guinea Force
split into a rear headquarters under Blamey and an advanced headquarters under Lieutenant General Edmund Herring
, so the latter could go forward to direct the Battle of Buna-Gona
, Blamey brought Berryman up from Advanced LHQ in Brisbane
to simultaneously act as chief of staff of New Guinea Force
from 11 December 1942. Berryman formed a very close professional and personal relationship with Blamey, and henceforth Berryman would be Blamey's chief of staff and head of operational planning, which made him "one of the most important officers in the Australian Army in its struggle against the Japanese."
Stanley Savige
was having, and it was Berryman who exonerated Savige. "I reported the situation [to Blamey and Herring]," Berryman record in his diary, "and said Savige had done well and we had misjudged him." Berryman was intimately involved with the planning of the Salamaua-Lae campaign
, working closely with Brigadier General
Stephen J. Chamberlin
at General
Douglas MacArthur
's GHQ in Brisbane
. Berryman established good working relations with the Americans, even though their staff practices were quite different to those of the Australian Army.
Berryman was also involved in the plan's execution, once more becoming chief of staff at New Guinea Force
under Blamey in August 1943. Berryman was frustrated at the failure of Vasey's 7th Division to destroy the Japanese retreating from Lae
, and personally annoyed by the way that Vasey forwarded compliments to Major General
Ennis Whitehead
while leaving any complaints about air support to be taken up by Berryman. Berryman was next involved with the planning for the landing at Finschhafen
, brokering a compromise landing plan between Rear Admiral
Daniel E. Barbey
and Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Herring
. When Berryman discovered that the United States Seventh Fleet
did not intend to reinforce the 9th Division he immediately went to Blamey, who took the matter up with MacArthur. However, it was Berryman who brokered a compromise deal with Vice Admiral
Arthur S. Carpender
to reinforce Finschhafen with a battalion in APDs
.
On 7 November 1943, Berryman became acting commander of II Corps, a post which became permanent on 20 January 1944, superseding Vasey, whose 7th Division was diplomatically placed directly under Lieutenant General Sir Leslie Morshead
's New Guinea Force
. II Corps was left with the 5th and 9th Divisions. Berryman was promoted to Lieutenant General on 20 January 1944. As in Syria, Berryman proved a hard driving commander. In December 1943, II Corps broke out of the position around Finschhafen and began a pursuit along the coast. Whenever the Japanese Army attempted to make a stand, Berryman attacked with 25-pounder
artillery barrages and Matilda tank
s. Berryman was aware that seasonal changes were making the surf rougher and making it ever harder to operate the US Army LCMs
and Australian Army DUKW
s that he depended for the logistical support of his troops, but he realised that the Japanese Army's supply difficulties were greater than his own, and he gambled that if he pushed hard enough the Japanese would be unable to regroup and organise a successful defence.
In the first phase of the Battle of Sio
, the advance from Finschhafen to Sio, 3,099 Japanese dead were counted and 38 prisoners taken, at a cost of 8 Australians killed and 48 wounded. In the 5th Division's subsequent drive from Sio to link up with the US 32nd Infantry Division at Saidor, 734 Japanese were killed and 1,775 found dead, while 48 prisoners were taken. Australian casualties came to 4 killed and 6 wounded. MacArthur considered Berryman's performance "quite brilliant". For his part in the campaign, Berryman was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath
(CB) on 8 March 1945.
and Mindanao
before it was finally decided that Borneo
would be the Australian Army's next objective. In all of this Berrymen kept in close contact with Blamey, and the two were Australian Army representatives at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay in September 1945. For his services in the final campaigns, Berryman received a fourth and final mention in despatches on 6 March 1947.
In June 1949, the country was rocked by the 1949 Australian coal strike
. The strike began when stocks of coal were already low, especially in New South Wales
and rationing was introduced. Prime Minister
Ben Chifley
turned to the Army to get the troops to mine coal. This became possible when the transport unions agreed to transport coal that was mined. Responsibility for planning and organising the effort to Berryman. Soldiers began mining at Muswellbrook and Lithgow on 1 August and by 15 August, when the strike ended, some 4,000 soldiers and airmen were employed. They continued work until production was fully restored.
Berryman 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 did disliked the former Commander-in-Chief. The job was instead given to Lieutenant General Sydney Rowell
. The United States government awarded Berryman the Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm in 1948. Following the change of government in 1949
, Berryman lobbied Sir Eric Harrison
, the Liberal
Minister for Defence Production
for the job on the retirement of Rowell in 1954, but he was now considered too old for the job.
Berryman became the Director General of the Royal Tour
of Queen Elizabeth II
in 1954, for which he was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
(KCVO). He was Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
from 1954 to 1961. He died on 28 May 1981 at Rose Bay, New South Wales
and was cremated with full military honours. At the time of his funeral the Ambassador for Lebanon, Raymond
Heneine, wrote in the Canberra Times ‘the inhabitants of Jezzine will never forget General Berryman,
who liberated their town from the forces of the Vichy French in collaboration with the Italian and German
forces. He was for them not only a great general but also a great benefactor who provided them with food
supplies and medical care. In fact he was the example of humanitarianism,’
Lieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
Sir Frank Horton Berryman, KCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(11 April 1894 – 28 May 1981) was an Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
officer who rose to the rank of lieutenant general
Lieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
during the Second World War. The son of an engine driver
Railroad engineer
A railroad engineer, locomotive engineer, train operator, train driver or engine driver is a person who drives a train on a railroad...
, he entered Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
in 1913. Graduating early due to the First World War, he served on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
with the field artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
. After the war, he spent nearly twenty years as a major.
Berryman joined the Second AIF
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
on 4 April 1940 with the rank of full colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, and became General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1) of the 6th Division. He was responsible for the staff work for the attacks on Bardia and Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
. In January 1941, Berryman became Commander, Royal Artillery
Commander, Royal Artillery
Commander, Royal Artillery was a military appointment in Commonwealth infantry and armoured divisions in the 20th Century. The CRA was the senior artillery officer in the division and commanded the regiments of field, anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery, and provided specialist artillery and...
, 7th Division and was promoted to brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
. During the Syria-Lebanon campaign
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
, he commanded "Berry Force". He returned to Australia in 1942, becoming Major General General Staff of the First Army. Later that year, he became Deputy Chief of the General Staff under the Commander in Chief, General
General (Australia)
General is the second highest rank, and the highest active rank, of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of General; it is also considered a four-star rank....
Sir Thomas Blamey
Thomas Blamey
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal....
, who brought him up to Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
to simultaneously act as chief of staff of New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force was a military command unit for Australian, territory of Papua and territory of New Guinea troops serving in the New Guinea campaign during World War II. Formed in April 1942 it was responsible for planning and directing all operations within the territory up until October 1944,...
. Berryman was intimately involved with the planning and execution of the Salamaua-Lae campaign
Salamaua-Lae campaign
The Salamaua–Lae campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces sought to capture two major Japanese bases, one in the town of Lae, and another one at Salamaua. The campaign to take the Salamaua and Lae area began with the Australian...
and the Huon Peninsula campaign
Huon Peninsula campaign
The Huon Peninsula campaign was a series of battles in the New Guinea campaign of the Second World War. Australian forces assaulted Japanese bases on the Huon Peninsula....
. In November 1943, he became acting commander of II Corps, which he led in the Battle of Sio
Battle of Sio
The Battle of Sio, fought between December 1943 and March 1944, was the breakout and pursuit phase of General Douglas MacArthur's Huon Peninsula campaign, part of the New Guinea campaign of World War II....
. In the final part of the war, he was Blamey's representative at General of the Army
General of the Army (United States)
General of the Army is a five-star general officer and is the second highest possible rank in the United States Army. A special rank of General of the Armies, which ranks above General of the Army, does exist but has only been conferred twice in the history of the Army...
Douglas MacArthur's headquarters and the Australian Army representative at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.
After the war, Berryman commanded Eastern Command. He directed the military response to the 1949 Australian coal strike
1949 Australian coal strike
The 1949 Australian coal strike is the first time that Australian military forces were used during peacetime to break a Trade union strike. The strike by 23,000 coal miners lasted for seven weeks, from 27 June 1949 to 15 August 1949, with troops being sent in by the Ben Chifley Federal Labor...
. Berryman hoped to become Chief of the General Staff but was passed over as he was seen as a "Blamey man" by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Ben Chifley
Ben Chifley
Joseph Benedict Chifley , Australian politician, was the 16th Prime Minister of Australia. He took over the Australian Labor Party leadership and Prime Ministership after the death of John Curtin in 1945, and went on to retain government at the 1946 election, before being defeated at the 1949...
. He retired and became the Director General of the Royal Tour
Royal visits to Australia
Since 1867, there have been over fifty visits by a member of the Royal Family to Australia, though only six of those came before 1954. Elizabeth II is the only reigning monarch of Australia to have set foot on Australian soil; she first did so on 3 February 1954...
of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in 1954. He was Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
The Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales is an Agricultural society based in New South Wales, Australia. They run many of the agricultural shows around New South Wales including the Sydney Royal Easter Show....
from 1954 to 1961.
Education and early life
Frank Horton Berryman was born in Geelong, VictoriaGeelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
on 11 April 1894, the fourth of six children and the eldest of three sons of William Lee Berryman, a Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
engine driver
Railroad engineer
A railroad engineer, locomotive engineer, train operator, train driver or engine driver is a person who drives a train on a railroad...
, and his wife Annie Jane née Horton. William Berryman joined in the 1903 Railway Strike and, when it failed, was reinstated with a 14.2% pay cut, only regaining his 1903 pay level in 1916. Frank was educated at Melbourne High School, where he served in the school Cadet Unit
Australian Army Cadets
The Australian Army Cadets is a youth organisation that is involved with progressive training of youths in military and adventurous activities. The programme has more than 19,000 Army Cadets between the ages of 12½ and 19 based in 236 units around Australia...
, and won the Rix prize for academic excellence. On graduation, he took a job with the Victorian railways as a junior draughtsman
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
.
In 1913, Berryman entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
, having ranked first among the 154 candidates on the entrance examination. Of 33 members of his class, nine died in the Great War, and six later became generals: Leslie Ellis Beavis, Frank Horton Berryman, William Bridgeford
William Bridgeford
Lieutenant General Sir William Bridgeford KBE, CB, MC was a senior officer in the Australian Army. He began his military career in 1913 and fought on the Western Front during the First World War, before rising to command the 3rd Infantry Division during the Bougainville campaign in the Second...
, John Austin Chapman, Edward James Milford and George Alan Vasey. The Great War caused his class to be graduated early, in June 1915. At this time, Berryman was ranked fifth in order of merit.
Great War
Berrymans's Duntroon class had not yet completed its military training at the outbreak of the Great War. Major GeneralMajor General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
William Throsby Bridges
William Throsby Bridges
Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges KCB, CMG served with Australian forces during World War I, and was the first Australian to reach general officer rank...
decided that regimental duty would rectify that deficiency, so he allotted the Duntroon cadets as regimental officers of the First AIF
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
, rather than as staff officers. Cadets were given the choice of service in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
or light horse. One cadet, Lawrence Wackett
Lawrence Wackett
Sir Lawrence James Wackett KBE, DFC, AFC is widely regarded as "father of the Australian aircraft industry". He has been described as "one of the towering figures in the history of Australian aviation covering, as he did, virtually all aspects of activities: pilot, designer of airframes and...
, protested that he wished to serve in the technical services. When asked if they would prefer the technical services, twelve cadets, including Berryman, Beavis, Clowes, Vasey, and Wackett stepped forward. Berryman was commissioned as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the Permanent Military Forces (PMF) on 29 June 1915, and joined the First AIF
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
, in which he was commissioned as a Lieutenant on 1 July 1915. He was posted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Harold William Grimwade
Harold William Grimwade
Major General Harold William Grimwade CB, CMG was an Australian Army colonel and temporary brigadier general in World War I.-Early life and career:...
's 4th Field Artillery Brigade of the 2nd Division Artillery, along with Vasey and Milford. Berryman embarked for Egypt with the 4th Field Artillery Brigade on the transport Wiltshire on 17 November 1915. In Egypt, Berryman briefly commanded the 4th Brigade Ammunition Column before it was absorbed into the 2nd Division Ammunition Column.
The 2nd Division moved to France in March 1916. Berryman became a temporary captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
on 1 April 1916, a rank which became substantive on 10 June 1916. In January 1917, he was posted to the 7th Infantry Brigade as a trainee staff captain. During the Second Battle of Bullecourt
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
he served with 2nd Division headquarters. He was appointed to command the 18th Field Artillery Battery, and became a temporary major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
on 1 September 1917, which became substantive on 10 September 1917. This was as far as he could go, for Duntroon graduates could not be promoted above major in the AIF. This was the result of an AIF policy aimed at giving them a broad a range of experience, which would benefit the post-war Army, while not allowing an accumulation of young officers of high rank, for whom the reduced post-War Army would not have sufficient posts.
While commanding the 18th Field Battery, he saw action at the Battle of Passchendaele. For his service as a battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
commander in this battle, he was Mentioned in Despatches. His citation read:
In September 1918, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. His citation, signed by Major General Charles Rosenthal
Charles Rosenthal
Major General Sir Charles Rosenthal KCB, CMG, DSO, VD was an Australian Major General of World War I, and later a politician elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.- Early life :...
, read:
Berryman was later nominated for a bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his Distinguished Service Order for the September 1918 fighting, but this was subsequently downgraded to a second mention in despatches. He was wounded in the right eye in September 1918 while he was commanding the 14th Field Artillery Battery. Although his wound was serious enough to warrant hospitalisation, there was no permanent damage to his vision. However, it was the end of his career as a battery commander, as the Army took the opportunity to transfer him to a staff post. From 28 October 1918 to 1 July 1919, he was Brigade Major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
of the 7th Infantry Brigade. He returned to Australia in October 1919.
Between the wars
Berryman was appointed to the Staff Corps on 1 October 1920. Although he was entitled to keep his AIF rank of major as an honorary rank, his substantive rank was still lieutenant. This also meant that his pay was also that of a lieutenant. Promotion was painfully slow. He was promoted to captain and brevetBrevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
major on 1 March 1923, but was not promoted to the substantive rank of major until 1 March 1935.
Berryman attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich from 1920 to 1923. On returning to Australia, he became an inspecting ordnance officer at the 2nd Military District. From its headquarters at Victoria Barracks, Sydney
Victoria Barracks, Sydney
Victoria Barracks is an Australian Army base in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Victoria Barracks is located in the suburb of Paddington, between Oxford Street and Moore Park Road...
, the 2nd Military District administered the Army in most of New South Wales. He enrolled in a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
program at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. On 30 November 1925, he married Muriel Whipp. They eventually had a daughter and a son.
Berryman discontinued his university studies in order to prepare for the entrance examination for Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
. Eighteen Australian Army officers sat the exam that year, but only Berryman and one other officer passed. His attendance of the staff college from 1926 to 1928 marked him out as one of the Australian Army's rising talents. It also allowed him to forge useful contacts with the British Army. Berryman later recalled that "The advantage of this was that in war we had the same doctrine of tactics and administration, which was essential if we had to work together. More than that, the officers who had to carry out their duties in cooperation knew each other personally." After graduation he served at the High Commission of Australia, London, from 1929 to 1932, serving under the Military Liaison Officer, Major General Julius Bruche.
After nearly twenty years as a major, Berryman was promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
on 12 May 1935. Promotion to substantive rank, which carried the rank's pay as well as status, occurred on 1 July 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. The slow rate of promotion of regular officers in the inter-war years fostered a sense of injustice and frustration among officers with good war records who found themselves outranked by militia
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
officers who had enjoyed faster promotion.
Libya
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
' announcement that all commands in the Second AIF
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
would go to militia officers, which Berryman considered "a damn insult to the professional soldier, calculated to split the Army down the centre. We were to be the hewers of wood and the drawers of water. We, the only people who really knew the job, were to assist these militia fellows."
Berryman joined the Second AIF on 4 April 1940 with the rank of full colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, receiving the AIF serial number of VX20308, and became General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1) of Major General Iven Mackay's 6th Division, in succession to Sydney Rowell
Sydney Rowell
Lieutenant General Sir Sydney Fairbairn Rowell, KBE, CB was an Australian soldier who served as Chief of the General Staff from 17 April 1950 to 15 December 1954...
who stepped up to become chief of staff of the I Corps. Berryman soon established a good working relationship with Mackay. Despite the friction between Militia and Staff Corps officers, Berryman chose to assess officers on performance. This meant that while Berryman viewed some Militia officers, like Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Stanley Savige
Stanley Savige
Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige, KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED , was an Australian Army soldier and officer who served in World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant general....
of the 17th Infantry Brigade, with disdain, he maintained good relations with others. There were also personal and professional rivalries with other Staff Corps officers, such as Colonel George Alan Vasey. Yet even those who disliked Berryman personally for his lack of patience and tact and referred to him as "Berry the Bastard" respected his abilities as a staff officer.
Mackay was determined that the Battle of Bardia
Battle of Bardia
The Battle of Bardia was fought over three days between 3 and 5 January 1941, as part of Operation Compass, the first military operation of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. It was the first battle of the war in which an Australian Army formation took part, the first to be...
would not be a "schmozzle". Berryman's talent for operational staff work came to the fore. From studies of aerial photographs, he selected a spot for the attack where the terrain was most favourable. His plan provided for the coordination of infantry, armour and artillery. While at times he proved secretive and hard to deal with, during the battle his forceful personality provided a good foil to the sometimes indecisive Mackay. later that month Berryman planned the equally successful Battle of Tobruk. For his services in this campaign, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE).
Syria
In January 1941, Berryman became Commander, Royal ArtilleryCommander, Royal Artillery
Commander, Royal Artillery was a military appointment in Commonwealth infantry and armoured divisions in the 20th Century. The CRA was the senior artillery officer in the division and commanded the regiments of field, anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery, and provided specialist artillery and...
in Arthur "Tubby" Allen
Arthur Samuel Allen
Major General Arthur Samuel "Tubby" Allen CB CBE DSO VD was an Australian soldier. During World War II he reached the rank of Major General and commanded Allied forces in the Syria-Lebanon and New Guinea campaigns...
's 7th Division, and was promoted to brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
. During the Syria-Lebanon campaign
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
, Berryman demonstrated that he was a thrusting commander who led from the front and repeatedly demonstrated his coolness under fire. When his headquarters came under shell fire for the first time, Berryman sat calmly eating his breakfast "among the flying brick dust and bursting shells", simply telling the men to shut the door, "so they can eat breakfast without being covered in dust".
During the Vichy French counterattack, Berryman was given command of the Australian forces in the centre of the position around Merdjayoun. This scratch force became known as "Berryforce". His mission was to check the enemy advance in the Merdjayoun area. Berryman decided that the best way to do this would be to recapture Merdjayoun. This presented considerable difficulty, for although his force contained two infantry battalions, the 2/25th and 2/33rd
2/33rd Battalion (Australia)
The 2/33rd Battalion was a infantry battalion of the Australian Army during the Second World War. Formed as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force in the United Kingdom on 27 June 1940 as the 72nd Battalion to create the 25th Brigade...
, and a pioneer battalion, the 2/2nd, his headquarters was not equipped to control a battle in the manner of an infantry brigade, as it lacked appropriate staff and communications. Moreover, while he was supported by mechanised cavalry and 22 artillery pieces, the opposing French forces had tanks.
For the next two weeks, the outnumbered Berryforce attempted to retake the strategically important town in the Battle of Merdjayoun
Battle of Merdjayoun
Battle of Merdjayoun - In the Syria-Lebanon campaign of World War II, Australian troops fought a long and sometimes costly battle around Merdjayoun. They held a pass which could have allowed the Vichy French forces into the British Mandate of Palestine, with dire results...
. His first attempt was a failure. After carrying out a personal reconnasance on 18 June, Berryman tried again. This time his attack was halted by staunch defence by the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
and tanks. Berryman then tried a different approach. Instead of attempting to capture the town, he seized high ground overlooking the French supply lines. faced with being cut off, the French withdrew from the town. Berryforce was then dissolved and Berryman returned to his role as commander of the 7th Division artillery.
The 7th Division was now concentrated in the coastal sector. Berryman clashed with Brigadier Jack Stevens
Jack Stevens
Major General Sir Jack Edwin Stawell Stevens KBE, CB, DSO, ED was a senior officer in the Australian Army during the Second World War...
of the 21st Infantry Brigade
21st Brigade (Australia)
The 21st Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. Formed in April 1940 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, the unit was raised for service during World War II...
over the siting of Berryman's artillery observation posts, which were in front of the infantry's front lines. Berryman wanted Stevens' positions advanced so as to obtain effective observation of the enemy's lines for Berryman's gunners. Stevens refused, hampering Berryman's efforts to support him in the Battle of Damour
Battle of Damour
The Battle of Damour was the final major operation of the Australian forces during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign of World War II.-Background:In 1941, Damour was the French administrative capital...
. Despite this, Berryman implemented an effective artillry plan. In the final stage of the battle, Berryman, without authority, ordered Lieutenant Colonel Denzil MacArthur-Onslow
Denzil Macarthur-Onslow
Major-General Sir Denzil Macarthur-Onslow CBE, DSW, ED was an Australian general.Macarthur-Onslow, the son of grazier Arthur Macarthur-Onslow, enlisted in the Australian Citizens Military Forces in 1924...
of the 2/6th Cavalry Regiment
2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia)
The 2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment was a cavalry regiment of the Australian Army that served during the Second World War and was later converted into to a commando unit. Initially formed at Ingleburn, New South Wales, on 3 November 1939 following the commencement of Australia's involvement in the...
to pursue the retreating French forces, but was overruled by Savige and Allen. For his part in the campaign, Berryman received a third mention in despatches.
Papua
On 3 August 1941, Berryman became Brigadier General Staff (BGS) — chief of staff — of I Corps under Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
John Lavarack
John Lavarack
Lieutenant General Sir John Dudley Lavarack KCMG, KCVO, KBE, CB, DSO was an Australian soldier who was Governor of Queensland from 1 October 1946 to 4 December 1957, the first Australian-born governor of that state....
, again in succession to Rowell, who became Deputy Chief of the General Staff (DCGS). Berryman arrived in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
by air with the advance party of the I Corps headquarters staff on 26 January 1942 to plan its defence. Berryman reconnoitred Java and prepared appreciations of the situation. Berryman also attempted to find out as much as possible about Japanese tactics through interviewing Colonel Ian MacAlister Stewart
Ian MacAlister Stewart
-Early life:Stewart was born in 1895, part of the Stewart family of Appin in Argyllshire. Stewart was born in Surore, Poone , India where his father, Lt.Col Alexander Kenneth Stewart, 12th of Achnacone, was a medical officer in the Poona Horse before his parents returned to Scotland. Stewart...
. This information found its way into papers circulated throughout the Army in Australia. It soon became apparent that the situation was hopeless and any troops committed to the defence of Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
would be lost.
Berryman returned to Australia, where he was promoted to Major General
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
on 6 April 1942, when he became Major General General Staff — chief of staff — of Lavarack's First Army. On 14 September 1942, Berryman became DCGS under the Commander in Chief, General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir Thomas Blamey
Thomas Blamey
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal....
, in succession to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
George Alan Vasey. When New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force was a military command unit for Australian, territory of Papua and territory of New Guinea troops serving in the New Guinea campaign during World War II. Formed in April 1942 it was responsible for planning and directing all operations within the territory up until October 1944,...
split into a rear headquarters under Blamey and an advanced headquarters under Lieutenant General Edmund Herring
Edmund Herring
Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, KStJ, ED, QC was an Australian Army officer during the Second World War, Lieutenant Governor of Victoria, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.A Rhodes scholar, Herring was at New College, Oxford, when the First World...
, so the latter could go forward to direct the Battle of Buna-Gona
Battle of Buna-Gona
The Battle of Buna–Gona was a battle in the New Guinea campaign, a major part of the Pacific campaign of World War II. On 16 November 1942, Australian and United States forces attacked the main Japanese beachheads in New Guinea, at Buna, Sanananda and Gona. Both forces were riddled by disease and...
, Blamey brought Berryman up from Advanced LHQ in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
to simultaneously act as chief of staff of New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force was a military command unit for Australian, territory of Papua and territory of New Guinea troops serving in the New Guinea campaign during World War II. Formed in April 1942 it was responsible for planning and directing all operations within the territory up until October 1944,...
from 11 December 1942. Berryman formed a very close professional and personal relationship with Blamey, and henceforth Berryman would be Blamey's chief of staff and head of operational planning, which made him "one of the most important officers in the Australian Army in its struggle against the Japanese."
New Guinea
Blamey and Berryman remained close for the rest of the war, and Blamey came to rely heavily on Berryman for advice. It was Berryman who was sent to Wau to investigate the difficulties that Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Stanley Savige
Stanley Savige
Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige, KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED , was an Australian Army soldier and officer who served in World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant general....
was having, and it was Berryman who exonerated Savige. "I reported the situation [to Blamey and Herring]," Berryman record in his diary, "and said Savige had done well and we had misjudged him." Berryman was intimately involved with the planning of the Salamaua-Lae campaign
Salamaua-Lae campaign
The Salamaua–Lae campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces sought to capture two major Japanese bases, one in the town of Lae, and another one at Salamaua. The campaign to take the Salamaua and Lae area began with the Australian...
, working closely with Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Stephen J. Chamberlin
Stephen J. Chamberlin
Stephen Jones Chamberlin was a lieutenant general in the United States Army who served during World War II as General of the Army Douglas MacArthur's Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, the staff officer in charge of plans and operations. Born in Spring Hill, Kansas on 23 December 1889, he was a 1912...
at General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
's GHQ in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. Berryman established good working relations with the Americans, even though their staff practices were quite different to those of the Australian Army.
Berryman was also involved in the plan's execution, once more becoming chief of staff at New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force was a military command unit for Australian, territory of Papua and territory of New Guinea troops serving in the New Guinea campaign during World War II. Formed in April 1942 it was responsible for planning and directing all operations within the territory up until October 1944,...
under Blamey in August 1943. Berryman was frustrated at the failure of Vasey's 7th Division to destroy the Japanese retreating from Lae
Lae
Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located at the start of the Highlands Highway which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast...
, and personally annoyed by the way that Vasey forwarded compliments to Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Ennis Whitehead
Ennis Whitehead
Ennis Clement Whitehead was an early United States Army aviator and a United States Army Air Forces general during World War II. Whitehead joined the U. S. Army after the United States entered World War I in 1917...
while leaving any complaints about air support to be taken up by Berryman. Berryman was next involved with the planning for the landing at Finschhafen
Battle of Finschhafen
The Battle of Finschhafen was part of the Huon Peninsula campaign during the Second World War between September and October 1943 between Australian and Japanese forces...
, brokering a compromise landing plan between Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Daniel E. Barbey
Daniel E. Barbey
Vice Admiral Daniel Edward Barbey was an officer in the United States Navy who served in World War I and World War II. A graduate of the Naval Academy, he participated in the 1912 United States occupation of Nicaragua and the 1915 United States occupation of Veracruz. While serving with the War...
and Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Herring
Edmund Herring
Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, KStJ, ED, QC was an Australian Army officer during the Second World War, Lieutenant Governor of Victoria, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.A Rhodes scholar, Herring was at New College, Oxford, when the First World...
. When Berryman discovered that the United States Seventh Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
did not intend to reinforce the 9th Division he immediately went to Blamey, who took the matter up with MacArthur. However, it was Berryman who brokered a compromise deal with Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Arthur S. Carpender
Arthur S. Carpender
Arthur Schuyler Carpender , nicknamed "Chips", was an American vice admiral during World War II commanding US naval forces in the Southwest Pacific.-Family:...
to reinforce Finschhafen with a battalion in APDs
High speed transport
High Speed Transports were converted destroyers and destroyer escorts used to support amphibious operations in World War II and afterward. They received the US Hull classification symbol APD; "AP" for transport and "D" for destroyer....
.
On 7 November 1943, Berryman became acting commander of II Corps, a post which became permanent on 20 January 1944, superseding Vasey, whose 7th Division was diplomatically placed directly under Lieutenant General Sir Leslie Morshead
Leslie Morshead
Lieutenant General Sir Leslie James Morshead KCB, KBE, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian soldier, teacher, businessman, and farmer, with a distinguished military career that spanned both world wars...
's New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force was a military command unit for Australian, territory of Papua and territory of New Guinea troops serving in the New Guinea campaign during World War II. Formed in April 1942 it was responsible for planning and directing all operations within the territory up until October 1944,...
. II Corps was left with the 5th and 9th Divisions. Berryman was promoted to Lieutenant General on 20 January 1944. As in Syria, Berryman proved a hard driving commander. In December 1943, II Corps broke out of the position around Finschhafen and began a pursuit along the coast. Whenever the Japanese Army attempted to make a stand, Berryman attacked with 25-pounder
Ordnance QF 25 pounder
The Ordnance QF 25 pounder, or more simply, 25-pounder or 25-pdr, was introduced into service just before World War II, during which it served as the major British field gun/howitzer. It was considered by many to be the best field artillery piece of the war, combining high rates of fire with a...
artillery barrages and Matilda tank
Matilda tank
The Infantry Tank Mark II known as the Matilda II was a British infantry tank of the Second World War. It was also identified from its General Staff Specification A12....
s. Berryman was aware that seasonal changes were making the surf rougher and making it ever harder to operate the US Army LCMs
Landing Craft Mechanized
The Landing Craft Mechanized or Landing Craft Mechanical was a landing craft designed for carrying vehicles. They came to prominence during the Second World War when they were used to land troops or tanks during Allied amphibious assaults....
and Australian Army DUKW
DUKW
The DUKW is a six-wheel-drive amphibious truck that was designed by a partnership under military auspices of Sparkman & Stephens and General Motors Corporation during World War II for transporting goods and troops over land and water and for use approaching and crossing beaches in amphibious...
s that he depended for the logistical support of his troops, but he realised that the Japanese Army's supply difficulties were greater than his own, and he gambled that if he pushed hard enough the Japanese would be unable to regroup and organise a successful defence.
Battle of Sio
The Battle of Sio, fought between December 1943 and March 1944, was the breakout and pursuit phase of General Douglas MacArthur's Huon Peninsula campaign, part of the New Guinea campaign of World War II....
, the advance from Finschhafen to Sio, 3,099 Japanese dead were counted and 38 prisoners taken, at a cost of 8 Australians killed and 48 wounded. In the 5th Division's subsequent drive from Sio to link up with the US 32nd Infantry Division at Saidor, 734 Japanese were killed and 1,775 found dead, while 48 prisoners were taken. Australian casualties came to 4 killed and 6 wounded. MacArthur considered Berryman's performance "quite brilliant". For his part in the campaign, Berryman was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(CB) on 8 March 1945.
Borneo
II Corps was renumbered I Corps on 13 April 1944 and returned to Australia, where Blamey gave Berryman his next assignment. In preparation for the Philippines Campaign, General MacArthur moved the advance element of GHQ to Hollandia in Dutch West Papua, where it opened in late August 1944. To maintain contact with GHQ, Blamey formed a new headquarters, Forward Echelon LHQ, which opened at Hollandia on 7 September under Berryman, who became Blamey's personal representative at GHQ. Forward Echelon LHQ subsequently moved with GHQ to Leyte in February 1945, and Manila in April 1945. Berryman's role was to "safeguard Australian interests" at GHQ, but he also defended GHQ against criticism from the Australian Army. As well as liaising with GHQ, Forward Echelon LHQ became responsible for planning operations involving Australian troops. It worked on plans for operations on LuzonLuzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
and Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
before it was finally decided that Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
would be the Australian Army's next objective. In all of this Berrymen kept in close contact with Blamey, and the two were Australian Army representatives at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay in September 1945. For his services in the final campaigns, Berryman received a fourth and final mention in despatches on 6 March 1947.
Later life
After the war, Berryman was appointed to command Eastern Command, an appointment he held from March 1946 until his retirement at age 60 in April 1954. Berryman became known for his involvement in charitable organisations such as the War Widows Association, and as head of the Remembrance Drive Project. For this and his commitment to beautifying the Army barracks, Berryman became colloquially known in the Army as "Frank the Florist".In June 1949, the country was rocked by the 1949 Australian coal strike
1949 Australian coal strike
The 1949 Australian coal strike is the first time that Australian military forces were used during peacetime to break a Trade union strike. The strike by 23,000 coal miners lasted for seven weeks, from 27 June 1949 to 15 August 1949, with troops being sent in by the Ben Chifley Federal Labor...
. The strike began when stocks of coal were already low, especially in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and rationing was introduced. Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Ben Chifley
Ben Chifley
Joseph Benedict Chifley , Australian politician, was the 16th Prime Minister of Australia. He took over the Australian Labor Party leadership and Prime Ministership after the death of John Curtin in 1945, and went on to retain government at the 1946 election, before being defeated at the 1949...
turned to the Army to get the troops to mine coal. This became possible when the transport unions agreed to transport coal that was mined. Responsibility for planning and organising the effort to Berryman. Soldiers began mining at Muswellbrook and Lithgow on 1 August and by 15 August, when the strike ended, some 4,000 soldiers and airmen were employed. They continued work until production was fully restored.
Berryman hoped to become Chief of the General Staff in succession to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Vernon Sturdee
Vernon Sturdee
Lieutenant General Sir Vernon Ashton Hobart Sturdee KBE, CB, DSO was an Australian Army commander who served two terms as Chief of the General Staff...
but he was seen as a "Blamey man" by Chifley and his Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government colleagues, who did disliked the former Commander-in-Chief. The job was instead given to Lieutenant General Sydney Rowell
Sydney Rowell
Lieutenant General Sir Sydney Fairbairn Rowell, KBE, CB was an Australian soldier who served as Chief of the General Staff from 17 April 1950 to 15 December 1954...
. The United States government awarded Berryman the Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm in 1948. Following the change of government in 1949
Australian federal election, 1949
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1949. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives, and 42 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, where the single transferable vote was introduced...
, Berryman lobbied Sir Eric Harrison
Eric Harrison
Sir Eric John Harrison KCMG KCVO was an Australian politician who became the first Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia....
, the Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
Minister for Defence Production
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
for the job on the retirement of Rowell in 1954, but he was now considered too old for the job.
Berryman became the Director General of the Royal Tour
Royal visits to Australia
Since 1867, there have been over fifty visits by a member of the Royal Family to Australia, though only six of those came before 1954. Elizabeth II is the only reigning monarch of Australia to have set foot on Australian soil; she first did so on 3 February 1954...
of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in 1954, for which he was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(KCVO). He was Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
The Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales is an Agricultural society based in New South Wales, Australia. They run many of the agricultural shows around New South Wales including the Sydney Royal Easter Show....
from 1954 to 1961. He died on 28 May 1981 at Rose Bay, New South Wales
Rose Bay, New South Wales
Rose Bay is a harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rose Bay is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of Waverley Municipal Council and Woollahra Council .Rose Bay has views of both the Sydney...
and was cremated with full military honours. At the time of his funeral the Ambassador for Lebanon, Raymond
Heneine, wrote in the Canberra Times ‘the inhabitants of Jezzine will never forget General Berryman,
who liberated their town from the forces of the Vichy French in collaboration with the Italian and German
forces. He was for them not only a great general but also a great benefactor who provided them with food
supplies and medical care. In fact he was the example of humanitarianism,’