Reginald Cheyne BerkeleyMC (18 August 1890 – 30 March 1935) was a Liberal Party politician in the United Kingdom, and later a writer of stage plays, then a screenwriter in Hollywood.[1][2][3] He had trained as a lawyer. He died in Los Angeles from pneumonia after an operation.[4]
Berkeley was born in London to Humphry George Berkeley and Agnes Mary née Cheyne. He was educated privately and at Bedford Modern School. He later went to Fiji where his father was a prominent lawyer in Suva; then to Auckland, New Zealand, where he studied at Auckland University College and passed the Barristers Examination of the University of New Zealand.[6] He was admitted to the Bar of Fiji and New Zealand in 1912, and to the Middle Temple (London) on 2 July 1919.[7] He was a lieutenant in the 3rd (Auckland) Regiment of the territorials in New Zealand from 1911 to 1913.[8]
For conspicuous gallantry in action. When his company commander was wounded, he led the company with great dash to its final objective, and later displayed great determination in consolidating the captured line.[9]
Postwar he joined the staff of the League of Nations Union in 1919 as Editor of Pamphlets then Director of Propaganda, and the League Secretariat in 1921, resigning when he entered Parliament.
He had married Gwendoline Cock in 1914 and Clara Hildegarde Digby in 1926.
He died in 1935 in the Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles aged 44 from pneumonia following a major operation.[11] He was residing at 606 North Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills.
References
^Obituary in The Times, CAPTAIN REGINALD BERKELEY, April 1, 1935, p.9
^The Evening Post (Wellington) 27 January 1911 pp. 2 & 3 April 1911 p. 3
^Livai’a, Christine (2009). Qaravi na'i tavi: They did their duty; soldiers from Fiji in the Great War. Auckland: Polygraphia. p. 200. ISBN978-1-877332-62-3.
^The New Zealand Gazette (Wellington) 8 June 1911 p 1897; 2 & 30 May 1912, pp 1495 & 1788; 15 May 1913 p 1617
Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN0-900178-06-X.