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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

BSACM Rhodesia 1896 (0) (Chaplain. I. Shimmin. S.F.F.)

The Reverend Isaac Shimmin, of the Methodist Missionary Society, was the first Methodist missionary to evangelise in Rhodesia. He arrived in Salisbury on 29 September 1891 and served as Chaplain to the Salisbury Field Force.

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Pictures courtesy of Spink

CMG n/b s/g;
CBE 1st Military;
QSA (6) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek, Belfast (Rev. E. R. Day. C to F.);
KSA (2) (Rev: E. R. Day. C. To F.);
1914 Star, clasp (Rev: E. R. Day. A.C.D.);
British War and Victory Medals, with MID (Rev E. R. Day.)

CMG London Gazette 14 January 1916.

CBE London Gazette 3 June 1919.

MID London Gazette 17 February 1915, 1 January 1916, 4 January & 24 December 1917, 5 June 1919.

Edward Rouviere Day was born on 4 January 1867, the son of the late Robert Day, J.P., F.S.A. of Myrtle Hill House, Cork, Ireland. Educated at Cork Grammar School and at Trinity College, Dublin (B.A. 1891, M.A. 1896), he became a Deacon in 1891 and Priest in 1892, serving as Curate of Ballymacarrett, County Down from 1891-93.

Day became an Army Chaplain on 23 February 1893 with the rank of Captain and served as Chaplain to the Forces at the Curragh between 1893-96. Posted to England to serve as a Chaplain at Woolwich between 1896-99. He joined the Anglo Boer War in South Africa in 1900 and was present at the Relief of Ladysmith, including Operations on Tugela Heights, followed by Operations in Natal from March-June 1900, including the action at Laing's Nek.

As the War progressed, Day joined Operations in Transvaal, East of Pretoria, seeing the actions at Belfast and Lydenberg. Promoted to Chaplain Major 3rd Class on 26 June 1902, he was twice 'mentioned' during the campaign. At the end of the War he briefly served on St Helena before returning to Pretoriawhere he served until 1905. Returned home, he served at Dover until 1910 and then to Lichfield where he remained until the start of the Great War, during this time he was promoted to Chaplain 1st Class Colonel on 26 June 1912.

Day served on the Western Front from 11 September 1914 and served in France until 23 June 1918 when he was then included as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 12 August-31 October 1918. He was appointed Principal Chaplain on 20 June 1918 with the rank of Brigadier-General and retired from the Army on 15 April 1922 with the rank of Colonel.

Reverting to life as a civilian in the church, he became Vicar of Steep, Hampshire between 1922-29. This was followed by a posting to South Africa where he was the Rector of St Michael and All Angels, Boksburg and Rector at St John's Belgravia between 1932-34 and then Rector of All Saint's, Bighton, from 1935-37, finally serving as an Assistant Priest at St.Paul's, Durban between 1939-48.

He died in Durban on 26 February 1948 and his ashes were placed in the Memorial Chapel at West Street Cemetery, Durban.

Picture courtesy of Spink

SAGS (0) (Rev: J. H. Berry, Chaplain, R.N, H.M.S. "Active");
Egypt, dated reverse (0) (Revd. J. H. Berry. M.A. Chap:&n I. R.N. H.M.S. "Superb.");
Coronation 1902, silver issue;
Coronation 1911;
Khedive's Star, dated 1882

John Harcourt Berry was born in 1848 at Ullesthorpe, Leicestershire, the son of William and Jane Berry. Educated at Christ Church, Oxford, he was ordained Deacon in 1874 and Priest in 1875 beginning his ecclesiastical career with a curacy of Preston-upon-Stour, Gloucestershire. Appointed as a Chaplain in the Royal Navy from 25 March 1876, he first saw service on Tourmaline in 1876 being aboard during that ship on her visit to Simon's Town, South Africa the next year.

Joining the company of the corvette Active in 1877 Berry was still with this ship when she deployed to South Africa for the Zulu War. During the war she contributed 173 men to the Naval Brigade for service with Colonel Pearson's column at Eshowe. Berry left the vessel after the war in 1880 for HMS Wolverene, being aboard her for the Detached Squadron's world cruise in 1881. It was likely here that he met the future King George, as he and his elder brother Prince Victor were training aboard the ship at the time.

Leaving Wolverene in 1882 Berry joined Superb and was present with her at the and was present at the bombardment of Alexandria that same year. She was in the thick of the action, firing 310 shells at the Egyptian Forts and taking 10 hits in exchange. Removing to HMS Canada in 1884 he was once again serving alongside the future George V who was with this vessel until 1886. Berry left the vessel a year later in 1887 for Impregnable 1887 and then a year later joining Britannia where he was to serve for the next five years. Going ashore to the Marine Depot Walmer in 1893 Berry's final posting was at Devonport Barracks from 1895.

Finally retiring as Chaplain of the Fleet on 1 September 1899. His frequent contact with the Royal Family during his Naval service was reflected in an appointment as Honorary Chaplain to King Edward VII on 1902. Upon the King's death he remained in the role, becoming Honorary Chaplain to his former shipmate, now King George V between in 1911. Berry was to hold this post until 1923, he died on 17 June 1923 at Cliffcote, Seaford, Sussex.