Frank Berryman

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Sir Frank Berryman
Deputy Chief of the General Staff
(1942–44)
14th Field Artillery Battery (1918)
18th Field Artillery Battery (1917–18)
Battles/wars
Awards
Royal Tour
Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales

First World War broke out, and he served on the Western Front with the field artillery
. After the war, he spent nearly twenty years as a major.

Berryman joined 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

Elizabeth II in 1954. He was chief executive officer of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
from 1954 to 1961.

Education and early life

Frank Horton Berryman was born in

Melbourne High School, where he served in the school Cadet Unit,[3] and won the Rix prize for academic excellence.[4] On graduation, he took a job with the Victorian railways as a junior draughtsman.[5]

In 1913, Berryman entered the

First World War.[7][8]

First World War

Berryman's Duntroon class had not yet completed its military training.

2nd Division Artillery, along with Vasey and Milford.[12] Berryman embarked for Egypt with the 4th Field Artillery Brigade on the transport Wiltshire on 17 November 1915.[13] In Egypt, Berryman briefly commanded the 4th Brigade Ammunition Column before it was absorbed into the 2nd Division Ammunition Column.[14]

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.[11] In January 1917, he was posted to the 7th Infantry Brigade as a trainee staff captain.[15] During the Second Battle of Bullecourt he served with 2nd Division headquarters.[16] 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.[11] This was as far as he could go, for Duntroon graduates could not be promoted above major in the AIF. This policy was aimed at giving them a broad range of experience, which would benefit the Army, while not allowing them to outnumber the available post-war positions.[17]

While commanding the 18th Field Battery, Berryman saw action at the

Mention in Despatches:[18]

This officer has commanded the Battery during the whole of the period under review and did particularly good and effective work during the operations in September, October and November in the Hooge area [in Belgium]. He showed great initiative in reconnoitring Battery positions often under heavy fire; in keeping touch with the Infantry Companies in the front line area and in observing and reporting on hostile movements rendering many useful reports. In particular he did a very fine piece of work on 14th September in moving his Battery forward behind Clapham Junction in the dusk under very heavy shelling over a very difficult road. He subsequently during the very heavy German counter attacks on 16th September succeeded in registering his Battery and using it in the operation notwithstanding the heavy hostile fire. The Battery suffered many casualties both in personnel and materiel but it fought with splendid determination and the men who had never previously been under the command of this officer in action throughout the operations before Hooge were kept in the most excellent fighting spirit by his determination, lead and strong personality. He has shewn himself to be an officer of remarkable judgement and great technical ability.[19]

Head and shoulders of a young man in uniform, wearing a peaked cap.
Major Frank Berryman in 1918

In September 1918, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.[20] His citation, signed by Major General Charles Rosenthal, read:

This officer has commanded the 14th Battery from 8th May 1918 to the present date [September 1918]. 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.[21]

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.[22][23] He was wounded in the right eye in September 1918 while he was commanding the 14th Field Artillery Battery.[24] Although his wound was serious enough to warrant hospitalisation, there was no permanent damage to his vision. It was however the end of his career as a battery commander, as the Army took the opportunity to transfer him to a staff post.[25] From 28 October 1918 to 1 July 1919, he was brigade major of the 7th Infantry Brigade.[11] With the war over, he returned to Australia in October 1919.[11]

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—and pay grade—was still lieutenant.[26] Promotion was painfully slow. He was promoted to captain and brevet major on 1 March 1923,[27] but was not promoted to the substantive rank of major until 1 March 1935.[11]

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.[28] He enrolled in a Bachelor of Science program at the University of Sydney.[29] On 30 November 1925, he married Muriel Whipp. They eventually had a daughter and a son.[30]

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. It also allowed him to forge useful contacts with the British Army.[31] Berryman later recalled, "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."[32] After graduation he was posted to the High Commission of Australia, London, from 1929 to 1932,[33] where he served under the Military Liaison Officer, Major General Julius Bruche.[32]

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.[11] 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.[34]

Second World War

Libya

Arthur Allen, 16th Infantry Brigade; Major General Iven Mackay; Brigadier Horace Robertson, 19th Infantry Brigade. Back row, left to right: Colonel Frank Berryman, GSO1; Brigadier Stanley Savige, 17th Infantry Brigade; Colonel Alan Vasey
, AA&QMG.

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,[34] 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."[35]

Berryman joined the Second AIF on 4 April 1940 with the rank of full colonel, receiving the AIF serial number of VX20308,[11] 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 I Corps.[36] Berryman soon established a good working relationship with Mackay.[37] 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 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.[38]

Mackay and Berryman were determined that the

Battle of Tobruk.[42] For his services in this campaign, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).[43]

Syria

In January 1941, Berryman became

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".[24]

Syria, June 1941. Left to right: Major General A. S. Allen, Brigadier F. H. Berryman and Brigadier A. R. Baxter-Cox.

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, though he was supported by mechanised cavalry and 22 artillery pieces, the opposing French forces had tanks.[44][45]

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 reconnaissance on 18 June, Berryman tried again. This time his attack was halted by staunch defence by the French Foreign Legion and tanks.[46] 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.[47]

The 7th Division was now concentrated in the coastal sector. Berryman clashed with Brigadier

Denzil MacArthur-Onslow of the 2/6th Cavalry Regiment to pursue the retreating French forces, but was overruled by Savige and Allen.[49] For his part in the campaign, Berryman received a third Mention in Despatches.[50]

Papua

On 3 August 1941, Berryman became Brigadier, General Staff (chief of staff) of I Corps under Lieutenant General

Deputy Chief of the General Staff (DCGS). Berryman arrived in Jakarta by air with the advanced party of the I Corps headquarters staff on 26 January 1942 to plan its defence. Berryman reconnoitred Java and prepared an appreciation 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.[51] It soon became apparent that the situation was hopeless and any troops committed to the defence of Java would be lost.[52]

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

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.[55] 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."[56]

New Guinea

Blamey and Berryman remained close for the rest of the war, and Blamey came to rely heavily on Berryman for advice.[57] It was Berryman who was sent to Wau to investigate the difficulties that 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."[58] 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 General Headquarters (GHQ) in Brisbane. Berryman established good working relations with the Americans, even though their staff practices were quite different from those of the Australian Army.[59]

Berryman understood the Americans and they understood him; he had a knack of avoiding friction without sacrificing Australian dignity or interests. His achievements in keeping the peace were of no mean order in light of America's preponderant contribution to the overall forces under MacArthur's command. It was a time when a careless word or a thoughtless gesture could have upset the delicate balance of the Australian-American partnership.

John Herrington[60]

Berryman was also involved in the plan's execution, once more becoming chief of staff at New Guinea Force under Blamey in August 1943.

APDs.[65]

On 7 November 1943, Berryman became acting commander of

LCMs) and Australian Army amphibious trucks (DUKWs) that he depended on 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.[67]

Berryman (back row, second from right) with General Sir Thomas Blamey (front row, centre) and the other Australian delegates to the Japanese surrender aboard USS Missouri, September 1945

In the first phase of the

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 8 March 1945.[68]

Borneo

II Corps was renumbered I Corps on 13 April 1944 and returned to Australia,

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.[70] Forward Echelon LHQ subsequently moved with GHQ to Leyte in February 1945, and Manila in April 1945.[71] Berryman's role was to "safeguard Australian interests" at GHQ, but he also defended GHQ against criticism from the Australian Army.[24] As well as liaising with GHQ, Forward Echelon LHQ became responsible for planning operations involving Australian troops. It worked on plans for operations on Luzon 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.[24] For his services in the final campaigns, Berryman received a fourth and final Mention in Despatches on 6 March 1947.[72]

Later life

After the war, Berryman took charge of Eastern Command, an appointment he held from March 1946 to February 1951 and again from March 1952 to December 1953.[38][73][74][75] 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".[38]

In June 1949, the country was rocked by the

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.[76]

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 disliked the former Commander-in-Chief.[77] The job was instead given to Rowell. The United States government awarded Berryman the Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm in 1948.[30] 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.[56] He instead retired from the army, at age 60, in April 1954.[38]

Berryman became the Director General of 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".[80]

Notes

  1. ^ Dean 2007, p. 27
  2. ^ Dean 2007, pp. 30–31
  3. ^ Dean 2007, p. 38
  4. ^ Dean 2007, p. 44
  5. ^ Dean 2007, p. 46
  6. ^ Dean 2007, p. 55
  7. ^ Horner 1992, pp. 4–10
  8. ^ Dean 2007, p. 59
  9. ^ Bean 1921, p. 56
  10. ^ Dean 2007, pp. 62–63
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i Army List of Officers 1950
  12. ^ Dean 2007, p. 65
  13. ^ Dean 2007, p. 66
  14. ^ Dean 2007, p. 68
  15. ^ Dean 2007, pp. 77–79
  16. ^ Dean 2007, pp. 79–80
  17. ^ Grey 1992, pp. 21–22
  18. ^ "No. 30706". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 May 1918. p. 6201.
  19. ^ "Recommendation for Frank Horton Berryman to be awarded a Mention in Despatches" (PDF). 5 March 1918. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
  20. ^ "No. 31092". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1918. p. 21.
  21. ^ "Recommendation for Frank Horton Berryman to be awarded a Distinguished Service Order" (PDF). 4 September 1918. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
  22. ^ Dean 2011, p. 42
  23. ^ "No. 31089". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 December 1918. p. 15225.
  24. ^ a b c d Dean 2002
  25. ^ Dean 2007, p. 103
  26. ^ Dean 2011, p. 49
  27. ^ "No. 33650". The London Gazette. 7 October 1930. p. 6095.
  28. ^ Dean 2011, p. 50
  29. ^ Dean 2007, p. 119
  30. ^ a b Who's Who in Australia 1977, pp. 107–108
  31. ^ Dean 2011, pp. 52–57
  32. ^ a b Dean 2011, p. 57
  33. ^ "No. 33792". The London Gazette. 22 January 1932. p. 487.
  34. ^ a b Long 1952, p. 45
  35. ^ Chapman 1975, p. 152
  36. ^ Dean 2011, pp. 73–74
  37. ^ Chapman 1975, pp. 165–166
  38. ^ a b c d Dean 2007, p. 33
  39. ^ Chapman 1975, p. 173
  40. ^ Dean 2011, pp. 82–84
  41. ^ Dean 2011, pp. 105–106
  42. ^ Dean 2011, p. 115
  43. ^ "No. 35209". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 July 1941. p. 3881.
  44. ^ Dean 2011, pp. 128–129
  45. ^ Long 1953, p. 404
  46. ^ Dean 2011, pp. 130–132
  47. ^ Dean 2011, pp. 134–139
  48. ^ Dean 2011, pp. 140–144
  49. ^ Dean 2011, pp. 146–149
  50. ^ "No. 35396". The London Gazette. 26 December 1941. p. 7339.
  51. ^ Wigmore 1957, pp. 442–443
  52. ^ Wigmore 1957, pp. 444–446
  53. ^ a b Dexter 1961, pp. 594–595
  54. ^ McCarthy 1959, p. 244
  55. ^ McCarthy 1959, p. 469
  56. ^ a b c Dennis et al. 1995, pp. 96–97
  57. ^ Hetherington 1973, p. 312
  58. ^ Berryman diary, 21 August 1943, AWM93 50/2/23/331
  59. ^ Dexter 1961, pp. 281–284
  60. ^ a b Hetherington 1973, p. 343
  61. ^ Dexter 1961, pp. 197, 280
  62. ^ Dexter 1961, p. 378
  63. ^ Berryman diary, 8 September 1943, AWM93 50/2/23/331
  64. ^ Dexter 1961, pp. 445–448
  65. ^ Dexter 1961, pp. 480–482
  66. ^ Coates 1999, p. 243
  67. ^ a b "II Corps Report on Operations December 1943 – March 1944" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  68. ^ "No. 36972". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 March 1945. p. 1297.
  69. ^ Dexter 1961, p. 780
  70. ^ Dexter 1961, pp. 787–788
  71. ^ Report on Operations by Australian Military Forces in Borneo 1 May 1945 to 15 August 1945, AWM54 617/7/43
  72. ^ "No. 37898". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 March 1947. p. 1091.
  73. ^ "Australian Military Forces". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 15 February 1951. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  74. ^ "Widespread Changes in Army Posts". Cairns Post. 27 March 1952. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  75. ^ "Australian Military Forces". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 1 October 1953. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  76. ^ Grey 2001, pp. 174–176
  77. ^ Hetherington 1973, p. 378
  78. ^ "No. 40159". The London Gazette. 27 April 1954. p. 2500.
  79. ^ Hill 2007, p. 95
  80. ^ Dean 2007, p. 266

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sir Frank Horton Berryman.
Military offices
Preceded by
Lieutenant General Victor Secombe
 GOC Eastern Command
1952–1953 		Succeeded by
Lieutenant General Eric Woodward
Preceded by
Major General Eric Plant
 GOC Eastern Command
1946–1951 		Succeeded by
Lieutenant General William Bridgeford
Preceded by
Lieutenant General Stanley Savige
 GOC I Corps
1944 		Succeeded by
Lieutenant General Sir Leslie Morshead
Preceded by
Lieutenant General Sir Leslie Morshead
 GOC II Corps
1943–1944 		Succeeded by
Lieutenant General Stanley Savige

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