Lance Corporal William Perry
18th Battalion, AIF
Service Number: 1982
Born: 1897, Waterloo
Died: 20 September 1917, Ypres, Belgium
William Perry was born at Waterloo in 1897 to James and Margaret Perry. At the time of his enlistment, his parents were living in Princess Mary Street St Marys. Perry had been working as a van driver.
Perry enlisted on 7 July 1915 at Liverpool. He was allocated to the 18th Battalion and left Sydney for Egypt on 9 August on the HMAT Runic. On 22 September he was on the shores of Gallipoli. This stay was short-lived as he was moved to Mudros on 23 October suffering from diarrhoea. From there he was transported to England to the Brook War Hospital in Woolwich to recover.
On 24 March 1916, Perry proceeded with his battalion to France. He received a shrapnel wound to the head at La Boisselle in France, but was not hospitalised. On 9 October Perry was promoted to Lance Corporal in the field. A month later he was hospitalised with trench feet and was sent to England to recover and take leave. In February 1917 he was back in camp and did not returned to France until 11 June. He rejoined his battalion on 24 June. The 18th Battalion took part in the Battle of Menin Road between 20 and 25 September which was part of the Third Battle of Ypres. Perry was killed in action on 20 September.
By the time of Perry’s death his parents had moved to Waterloo and later Dreadnought Street Lakemba.
Memorial Details:
- Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium
- Honor Roll, Victoria Park, St Marys
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