Ira Sidney Berry – Royal Marine Artillery, H.M.S. Good Hope

Gunner Ira Sidney Berry – Royal Marine Artillery, H.M.S. Good Hope

Ira Sidney Berry was born in 1883 in Parracombe, Devon, the son of Thomas Berry and Martha Jane Down, who were married in 1877 at Parracombe, Devon. In census and civil records his forenames appear in various forms, including Ira, Sidney, and Fred Sidney, reflecting common inconsistencies in late-Victorian record keeping.

Family Background and Early Life

1891 Census

At the time of the 1891 Census, the Berry family were residing at Voley, Parracombe. Thomas Berry (44) was employed as a farmer, while his wife Martha Jane (34) managed the household.
Their children were Frederick (12), Anne (10), Sidney (8), and William (7 months).

Also present were several servants: John Popham (22), George Somerwill (15), and Emma J. Berry (15). Thomas’s mother, Sally Berry (74), was also living with the family.

1901 Census

By the time of the 1901 Census, the family had moved to East Middleton Cottage, Parracombe. Thomas Berry (53) was then employed as a plate layer, with Martha Jane (43) remaining at home.
Their children were Fred Sidney (18), also a plate layer; William H. (10); Alfred J. (7); and Edith S. (4).

1911 Census

By 1911, Martha Berry was widowed, her husband Thomas having died in 1909. She was living at 12 Garden Street, Swansea, aged 53.
Her children present were Harry S. (27), employed as a carman; William H. (21); and Edith S. (15).

Naval Service and Death

Ira Sidney Berry served with the Royal Marine Artillery (RMA), one of the two principal branches of the Royal Marines prior to 1923. The RMA provided highly trained gunners for service aboard Royal Navy warships, coastal defence batteries, and shore-based artillery. Royal Marine Artillery personnel were specialists in the operation of heavy naval guns, range-finding, and ammunition handling, frequently serving in turrets, magazines, and shell-handling rooms under extremely hazardous conditions.

H.M.S.Good Hope

As a Gunner, Ira served aboard H.M.S. Good Hope, an armoured cruiser of the Royal Navy. On 1^st November 1914, Good Hope formed part of a British squadron commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock during the Battle of Coronel, fought off the coast of central Chile. The British force was heavily outmatched by the German East Asia Squadron, commanded by Vice-Admiral Maximilian Graf von Spee, whose ships possessed superior speed, armour, and gunnery.

The engagement took place in the late afternoon and evening, with the setting sun silhouetting the British ships and giving the Germans a decisive tactical advantage. During the battle, H.M.S. Good Hope was repeatedly struck by accurate German fire. One shell penetrated her forward magazine, causing a catastrophic explosion. The ship sank with the loss of all hands.

Ira Sidney Berry
Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Portsmouth
credit - findagrave

Gunner Ira Sidney Berry was among the more than 1,600 British officers and men killed in the action. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, which honours members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines who lost their lives at sea during the First World War.

His death represents the heavy losses suffered by the Royal Marine Artillery during the opening months of the war and stands as a reminder of the dangers faced by naval gunners in the early stages of the conflict.