Joseph William Berrisford was born on the 29th August 1910 in Burslem, Staffordshire. His parents, Benjamin Berrisford, was born on 2nd January 1884 in Hanley, Staffordshire, and Florence née Tatler was born c1884 in Burslem, Staffordshire; they married in 1907. Joseph was one of 7 children; his siblings were Gertrude, born on the 13th April 1908, Gladys, born on the 6th November 1912, Jessie, born on the 5th July 1915, Benjamin, born on the 24th November 1917, Doris, born on the 19th March 1920, and Harry, born in 1924, who sadly died aged 1 in 1925.  

The 1911 census shows Joseph's parents, Benjamin Berrisford (28), a Potter Labourer, and Florence Berrisford (26), a Pottering Presser, living at No 3 Masseys Square, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. Although they have recorded having two children living, there are no children written on this record. 

A Pension record card for 21263 Pte Benjamin Berrisford Northumberland Fusiliers, Married, Address 11 Bailey Street, Burslem Stoke on Trent shows disability being a GSW Right Forearm, date of discharge 10.12.1917. 

A further record of a Benjamin Berrisford 267606 Northumberland Fusiliers shows the same discharge date, 10.12.1917, and pension details of receipt since 5.12.1917 with the correspondence address of 11 Bailey St, Burslem. This service number is also on the Medal Index for Pte Benjamin Berrisford, Northumberland Fusiliers, and shows he was entitled to the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. Usually all service numbers are present when a soldier is allocated another number but not in this case, we can see from the records that Benjamin Berrisford was in the 1/6th and the 11th Northumberland Fusiliers, enlisting on the 23rd November 1915 and being discharged on the 10th December 1917, he was awarded a Silver War Badge 355403 for Wounds 392 (XVI) K.R.Para 2 (b) 1 of A.0.2.Sickness 392 (XVI) K.R. 

The 1921 census shows Joseph Berrisford now 10 Years 10 Months living at 11 Bailey Square, Burslem with parents Benjamin Berrisford (40) a Pottery Odd Man and Florence Berrisford (38) Teapot Manufacture, siblings Gertrude Berrisford 13 Years 2 Months in Education Whole-Time, Gladys Berrisford 8 Years 6 Months, Jessie Berrisford 5 Years 11 Months, Benjamin Berrisford 3 Years 11 Months and Doris Berrisford 1 Year 3 Months. 

Sadly, on December 9th, Joseph's mother, Florence, died aged 54 at London Road Hospital. 

BERRISFORD.-On Dec. 9th. at L.R.H..

Florence, the beloved wife of Benjamin Berrisford, of "Rose Lea," Edge-St. (off Scotia-Rd.), Burslem, aged 54 years. Funeral on Tuesday next. Service in the Spiritualist Church at 2.15 p.m. Interment at Burslem Cemetery. Relatives kindly accept this intimation.

The 1939 register shows 29-year-old single Joseph living at ‘Rose Lea ', Edge St, Burslem, working in the Potteries as a Biscuit Drawer. His father, Benjamin Berrisford (55), widowed, working as a Colliery Labourer on Surface; his brother, Benjamin Berrisford Jr (22), working as a Saggar Bottom Knocker (Pottery); and his sister, Doris Berrisford (18), working in a Warehouse (Pottery). 

Joseph's sister Gertrude had married John Malam in 1927 and was living at 21 Shirley Street, Middleport, with her children, John, born 1927, Irene, born 30 September 1928, a Student, Roy, born 1934, and Jessie, born 30 April 1937. Her husband, John Malam, died in 1938. 

Joseph's sister Gladys had married Llewellyn Lornet Roberts at the beginning of 1939, a Miner Dateler; they could be found living at 43 Waterloo Rd, Burslem. There is a Territorial record for 22252364 Lornet Llewelyn Roberts,  Field Regt RA (TA), enlisted 6 October 1948, discharged 7 December  1949.

Joseph's sister Jessie married William H Nixon in 1936, and they can be found living at 76 Furlong Lane. Jessie worked as a Cranemaker Pottery and William H Nixon, a Tile Placer, and they would go on to have three children: Brian, born 1942, Michael, born 1945, and Sandra, born 1952. 

Benjamin Berrisford Jr married Elizabeth Wright in 1941; they would go on to have twins Alan and Keith born in 1944, Christine A born in 1947, and James D born in 1951.  

Doris Berrisford married William F Griffin in 1940. They had one child, Alan F, in 1945.

It isn't known when exactly Joseph joined the 1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and entered the theatre of war. But through looking at the history of the Regiment in 1942, we can see the circumstances of how a soldier recruited from Stoke on Trent could come to serve with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. 

Before the outbreak of war in October 1938, the 1st Battalion arrived in Wellington, South India. 

Shortly after the Inniskillings finished intense jungle training in northern India, Japan invaded Malaya in December 1941.

By mid-January 1942, Japanese forces launched an invasion of British Burma.

The Battalion finished mobilising on the 5th of March and was ready for orders. The situation in southern Burma escalated rapidly as Japanese forces advanced to cut off the British garrison at Rangoon. After destroying local ports and oil facilities to keep them out of enemy hands, an evacuation was ordered on the 7th March. 

One week later, the 1st Battalion was airlifted from India to Magwe, Burma, joining the 13th Indian Brigade.

By late March, heavy Japanese airstrikes forced the Royal Air Force to withdraw to India. This left the Japanese in complete control of the skies over central and northern Burma. 

On the night of the 30th March, Japanese troops launched a ground assault on Prome. While an Allied ambush prevented the division from being overrun, a full retreat was ordered on the 2nd of April. 

For the Inniskillings, this marked the start of a brutal, eight-day fighting withdrawal to the North.

By the 31st May 1942, the exhausted Inniskillings left Imphal for Ranchi, India. There, they finally received new reinforcements and rebuilt their strength.

Joseph likely joined the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers as a reinforcement between the end of May and September 1942. New replacements were intensively trained alongside veterans in jungle warfare tactics, river-crossing operations, and long-range patrolling to prepare for a completely different kind of warfare than the British Army was used to. On the 23rd of November, Joseph was killed in an accident. 

The Eastern Army struck the coastal Arakan region and captured key enemy airfields on Akyab Island. The British saw initial success, but the Japanese quickly counter-attacked. Enemy reinforcements crossed rivers and mountain ranges that the Allies believed were completely impassable. The Japanese struck the exposed British flank and overran several units. Unable to hold their ground, the exhausted British forces were forced to withdraw from the region by March 1943. 

Sentinel Newspaper, Saturday, December 2nd, reported 

News has been received by Mr. B. Berrisford, Roselea, Edge Street, Burslem, that his son. Fusilier Joseph William Berrisford has died in India as a result of an accident. Fusilier Berrisford, who was aged 32, was employed at the Royal Doulton Potteries, Burslem, before joining the Army. 

He is buried at the CHITTAGONG WAR CEMETERY, CHATTOGRAM. 7. C. 3. In  Bangladesh, the Chittagong War Cemetery is in Dampara locality, No.19 Badsha Mia Chowdhury Road, 22 kilometres North of the airport and 8 kilometres from the port on a site which was formerly paddy fields, but which has now been developed.

Joseph W Berrisford was entitled to the 1939-1945 Star, the Burma Star, and the War Medal 1939-1945. 

He is remembered on the Royal Doulton Kilngate Memorial.

The following memorial posts were found in the Sentinel Newspaper.

November  23rd 1943 

BERRISFORD.-In loving memory of my dear son Joseph W. Berrisford, killed in action Nov. 23rd. 1942. Remembered by Sisters and Brothers, Doris, Gladys. and-Brothers-in-law.

November 23rd 1945 

BERRISFORD. Treasured memory of my son Joseph, killed Nov 23rd. 1942. To be together in the same old way would be our dearest wish today --..Dad Gladys. Doris Frank and Llew.

November 23rd 1946.

BERRISFORD (Joe) Killed in India. Nov. 23rd 1942: wife Florence died Dec. 7th. 1938. God forgive a silent tear: a constant wish that you were here -Ben

BERRISFORD.

We pictured a safe return, to see your smiling face, but Mother was waiting to take you to a better place. Doris, Ben, Lizzie, Frank. 

November 23rd 1948 

BERRISFORD.-In memory of Joseph W. Berrisford, killed in Bombay (India) 1942. Though sleeping miles away, I shall see you someday-From Dad, Ben, Lizzie.

Benjamin Berrisford died aged 77 in 1959. 

BERRISFORD.On March 12th, at 72, Macclesfield-St., Burslem, Benjamin. Aged 77 years, beloved husband of the late Florence Berrisford. 

Sources: 

FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911

Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 389/06mb

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; 1921 Census Returns; Reference: RG 15/12636, ED 22, Sch 62; Book: 12636

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; War Office: Roll of Honour, Second World War.Publication Title: Army Roll of Honour 1939-45. Soldiers Died in World War Two. (WO304); Publication Format: CD Rom; Publisher: Naval & Military Press

Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Author: Peter Singlehurst; Series Title: British Commonwealth War Graves Registers, 1914-1918; Archive Name: London, United Kingdom

The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/5280E

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000525/19381210/129/0004

Royal Artillery Museum; Salisbury Plain, Larkhill, Wiltshire; Royal Artillery WWII Tracer Cards 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/98/a8759398.shtml 

The National Archives, London, England, UK; WO 417: Army Casualty Lists, 1939-45 War; Reference: WO 417/54 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18991126/joseph-william-berrisford 

https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/far-east-campaign 

https://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/the-story-of-the-irish-brigade-1942-1947-2/royal-inniskilling-fusiliers-the-skins/ 

https://indiaburmasoldiers.co.uk/1stInniskillings.htm 

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000525/19431123/047/0002 

https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/file/700069532?terms=berrisford%2C267606 

https://www.fold3.com/image/323244332/berrisford-benjamin-page-2-uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920?terms=berrisford%2C267606 https://www.fold3.com/record/738195488/berrisford-benjamin-uk-nominal-index-of-all-service-personnel-serving-in-a-theatre-of-war-1914-1919.