Arthur Berlyn was born in Kings Norton, Warwickshire, in 1907, the son of John Aaron and Emily Charlotte Berlyn. He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet in 1920 at the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. He was promoted to Midshipman (E) on 15 September 1926 and was appointed to the Engineering Course at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Keyham. He was promoted to Sub Lieutenant (E) on 1 November 1928 and was appointed to the aircraft carrier HMS COURAGEOUS on 2 September 1930 and was promoted to Lieutenant (E) on 1 January 1931.

Arthur Berlyn was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN for Submarine Training on 5 September 1932. On 4 January 1933, he was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MACKAY for Engineering duties and was then appointed to HMS L22 as the Engineer on 6 June 1933. He then joined HMS L18 as the Engineer on 5 September 1933.

Arthur Berlyn was next appointed to HMS RAINBOW as the Engineering Officer on 8 July 1935. Arthur Berlyn is reported to have died on board HMS MEDWAY at Singapore on Friday 4 February 1937, the day before he was due to return home to take up a new appointment for which he had been specially selected. He had committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.

Arthur Berlyn was the husband of Marion Hingston Berlyn (née Curnow) – they had been married in Portsmouth in 1931 and there were two children – Diana and Nigel.  He had been away from his family for two years.