Name
Donovan Perry
20 March 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/03/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panel 89 and 90.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter's Church Memorial, Berkhamsted, Berkhamsted Collegiate School, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Donovan Perry was born in 20 March 1896 in Clapton, Hackney, London, the son of Richard Henry Perry and Rose Cross Perry and was baptised on 27 August 1897 at Jesus Church, Enfield, Middx. (Siblings Ralph, Fanny, Brian and Richard were all baptised on the same day). At that time they were living at Forty Hill and his father was working as a lithographer. He was one of seven children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Forty Hill, Enfield, where his father was working as a printer. He was educated at Berkhamsted School, leaving in 1910.
By 1911 his parents had moved to Oaklands, Oak Cross Road, Berkhamsted, but Donovan was not listed with them.
His father's address on Donovan's medal index cards was given as 20 Great Portland Street, Oxford Circus, London W1.
Wartime Service
He served with the 2nd Company, 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment (Territorial Force) as Lieutenant from 30 December 1916. According to the war diary he joined them in the field on 6 June 1917 at Wormhoudt, France.
He was killed in action on or since 22 March 1918 during the Battle of St Quentin. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His father received pay owing of £160 15s 2d. He was granted probate of Donovan's estate on 11 September 1918 in London with effects of £222 15s 9d.
Brother to Sergeant Brian Perry (Inns of Court Officer Training Corps) who died from meningitis on 18 August 1915 and is buried in Berkhamsted Churchyard, and Sergeant Ralph Baker Perry who died 20 August 1920, aged 25 from epilepsy.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
