Date: 22/04/2011
Views: 3454
Owner: Pete Rogers (Admin)
Corporal A. Berkley
Photo courtesy of the Dutch Commando Museum and Jack Bakker who adds " Corporal A. Berkley was a member of No 2 Dutch Troop who after some time left the Troop for reasons unknown to us. He went to the Princes Irene Brigade and saw action with this Brigade. He died on the 29th of October 1944. He is buried at the municipal cemetery of Brussels, Belgium."
Posted by Pete R. who adds " On the website of the Princess Irene Brigade the episode Tilburg the fight in October, which led to his death, is described: "On Wednesday 25th October 1944 at about 7.00 hrs, the 46th Brigade of the 15th Scottish Division advanced from Oirschot on to the eastern side of Tilburg. In the mean time Fighting Unit II of the Princess Irene Brigade tried to, from the south moving on to Hilvarenbeek, force a breakthrough at Broekhoven. This place served as a basis for the actual charge on Tilburg. At the small river Oude Ley the Germans had set up an advance defense line and had good armour defence material at their disposal. Because of enemy fire and the marshy and very open terrain , the tanks couldn't advance. Scout cars were ordered back to the Recce headquarters, but their bearings were taken and they were swamped with German artillery fire. By this G. Dijkstra fell and many were wounded. At a certain moment infantry were also unable to advance and they dug in. After powerful artillery and mortar fire on the Germans, the advanced post was disabled, at the cost of another three dead (J. Buytelaar, E. Alvares and A. Berkley) and a great number of wounded."
In Memory of Corporal A. Berkley
Princes Irene Brigade and No.10(IA) Commando 2 (Dutch) troop
who died on the 29th October 1944
Remembered with honour at the municipal cemetery of Brussels