Beringer, Frederick George (Fred)
Private
No. 144208, 87th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Quebec Regiment)
Killed in action on Monday 9 April 1917 (aged 33)
Buried:
Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, France (Grave VIII. E. 12)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance
Ballyphilip Parish Church of Ireland Church Portaferry (Berringer)
Family grave headstone in Ballyphilip Graveyard
Brother of Stoker First Class William Ernest Beringer (No. 309949)
BIOGRAPHY
In some records his surname is spelt Berringer.
Frederick George Beringer was born on 19 July 1883 in Portaferry and he was the eldest son of Frederick and Elizabeth Johanna Beringer (nee James) who were married on 13 September 1882 in Ballyphilip Parish Church of Ireland Church Portaferry. Both of his parents were born in England. Frederick Beringer (aged 36), a watchmaker from Ballyphilip, Portaferry was a son of Joseph Beringer, a watchmaker. Elizabeth Johannah James from Ballycastle, Co Antrim was a daughter of John James, a manager of mines.
The Beringer family lived in High Street, Portaferry.
Frederick Beringer Senior was a watchmaker and jeweller and he and Elizabeth had nine children:
Frederick George (Fred, born 19 July 1883 in Portaferry)
John Joseph (born 16 January 1885 in Portaferry; worked as a lighthouse keeper; married Louisa Chermside on 7 March 1916 in Ardquin Parish Church of Ireland Church)
William Ernest (Willie, born 2 November 1886 in Portaferry)
Richard James (born 5 October 1888 in Portaferry)
Helena (born 20 October 1890 in Portaferry; died 9 February 1974)
Thomas Humphrey (born 20 November 1892 in Portaferry; died in Portaferry 28 July 1910 aged 17 of shock from a fractured skull accidentally caused by an acetylene gas explosion)
Elizabeth Johanna (born 11 May 1894 in Portaferry)
Charles Douglas (born 31 December 1895 in Portaferry; died of manition 19 January 1896)
Edith (born 16 January 1897 in Portaferry; died of manition 16 January 1897 aged 4 hours)
Their mother Elizabeth died of heart disease on 26 August 1912 (aged 59) and their father Frederick died of heart disease on 1 August 1919 (aged 73).
After leaving school Fred Beringer worked with his father as a watchmaker and clock repairer.
Fred moved to Canada around 1911 where he worked as a farmer before enlisting in Ottawa, Ontario on 4 August 1915.
It was noted in his attestation papers that he was 5 feet 4¼ inches tall with brown eyes and brown hair.
He arrived in England on 28 June 1916 and made his will on 17 July 1916.
In his will he left all of his property and effects to his sister Helena in Portaferry.
In August 1916 Private Fred Beringer was posted to France.
Private Fred Beringer (No. 144208) was 33 when he was killed in action at Vimy Ridge in France on 9 April 1917 and initially he was reported missing in action.
Later he was officially presumed to have died and then it was reported that his body had been recovered and he was buried in Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery in France.
Private Fred Beringer (No. 144208) is commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial; in the Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance; in Ballyphilip Parish Church of Ireland Church Portaferry (Berringer) and on the family grave headstone in Ballyphilip Graveyard Portaferry.