Freeman Leslie Berry 931012 Private No. 2 Construction Battalion December 15, 1896 Port Latour, Shelbourne Co., NS July 16, 1916 Yarmouth, NS Yarmouth, NS 19 5 feet, 2inches Black Black Black Labourer Single Methodist Alice Berry (Mother) Yarmouth, NS March 22, 1919 (Halifax, NS) Unknown Unknown Unknown Freeman Leslie Berry was the only son of Frank L. Berry (b. 1874), and Alice E. (Tasco) Berry (1881- 1943). He lived with his mother in Yarmouth prior to enlisting; his father lived in Halifax. Freeman was the brother of Annie Laura Berry (1894–1931), Ida Matilda Berry (b. 1905), Lola Maud Berry (1910–1911), and Nina May Berry (1912–1989). Prior to his enlistment in WWI, Freeman served with the 29th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Yarmouth, NS. Having trained in Canada, Freeman Leslie Berry embarked for overseas, on the SS Southland at Halifax on March 25, 1917, arriving in Liverpool, England, on April 7, 1917. He embarked England for service in France arriving there on May 17, 1917. He returned to England on November 13, 1918. Returning to Canada, having served in Canada, England, and France, he was discharged on March 20, 1919. He returned to Canada on the SS Lapland of the Belgian Red Star Line, arrived in Halifax on March 1, 1919, and was subsequently discharged on demobilization on March 22, 1919. After the war, Freeman worked as a chauffeur. He married Irene Victoria McKinnon (1899-1938) of Yarmouth on November 13, 1919, at the Disney Chapel (named after Rev. Bishop Disney) at 10 East Street in Yarmouth. His marriage certificate records that one of the witnesses to the marriage was Bowman Crawford, another WWI Veteran of Yarmouth who also served in with the No. 2 Construction Battalion. Freeman Leslie Berry also served his community during the Second World War. He is pictured below, in a photograph of an all-black civilian fire brigade in Halifax, NS. The photo is believed to be from 1943 on what is now called Buddy Daye Street (formerly Gerrish Street). The civilian fire wardens were part of the Air-Raid Precautions Group, which was formed by the federal government in 1939 and disbanded in 1945.