 He was born in Sydney, Australia, and educated (LLM) at Victoria University College.Berendsen served with New Zealand forces in Samoa in World War I, and from 1917-19 after being called up in Trentham Camp and Sling Camp, England; then in the High Commission in London for the 1919 election and licensing polls.In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.