William Ray Peter Perry DFC - biography
Title
William Ray Peter Perry DFC - biography
Description
Brief details of early life. Joined Royal Air Force 26 March 1941, trained as pilot in Canada. Flew operations on 106 Squadron at RAF Syerston and RAF Metheringham from June 1943 to February 1944. Instructional tour at 5 Lancaster Finishing School then re-joined 106 Squadron and Tiger Force after VE day. Then RAF Transport Command. After demob worked as a civilian air traffic controller. Concludes with family biographic details.
Date
2007-01
Spatial Coverage
Coverage
Language
Type
Format
Two page printed document
Conforms To
Publisher
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
BVerityHJPerryWRPv1
Transcription
William Roy Peter Perry, DFC
Born 25th March 1923 at Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Attended St Paul's School, Rusthall. Moved to Tideford, Cornwall, in December 1936 & attended St. German's School.
Joined Royal Air Force 26th March 1941 & trained as a pilot at 31 EFTS De Winton, Alberta, Canada & 37 SFTS Calgary Airport, Alberta, Canada.
From June 1943 to February 1944 flew operations on Lancasters with 106 Squadron at RAF Syerston, Notts. & RAF Metheringham, Lincs. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in January 1944.
Instructed on Lancasters at No. 5 Lancaster Finishing School, RAF Syerston, February 1944 to early 1945 & promoted to Flight Lieutenant.
Started second operational tour with 106 Squadron at Metheringham & then, after VE Day, the Squadron 'joined' "Tiger Force" for Far East operations against Japan. VJ Day fortunately put a stop to that!
Joined RAF Transport Command in October 1945 & flew Yorks on RAF scheduled services: United Kingdom-India-Singapore.
De-mobbed in 1947. Joined Ministry of Civil Aviation as an Air Traffic Control Officer. Served at Liverpool (Speke) Airport, Belfast (Nutt's Corner) Airport, Belfast (Sydenham) Airport, Preston Air Traffic Control Centre (Barton Hall), RAF Hack Green Joint Air Traffic Control Radar Unit, RAF Lindholme Joint Air Traffic Control Radar Unit (I/C Civil Section), Preston Air Traffic Control Centre (as Deputy Centre Superintendent), Manchester Airport & Sub-centre (as Deputy ATCO I/C) and later promoted there to Chief Officer Civil Aviation Authority & Air Traffic Control Officer I/C.
Founder Member of the Guild of Air Traffic Control Officers & later served as the Master of the North-West Lodge.
Retired in 1983. Joined Freemasons. Founder Member of Blackpool & District Aircrew Association – served as Chairman, President & Secretary. Member Fylde Officers Association – served as Chairman & President. Founder Member 'Red Rose' Branch, Bomber Command Association – served at [sic] Secretary. Past Member Fylde Ex-Service Liaison Committee. Past Member Preston Ex-Service Associations Council.
WRPPDFC/HJV/January 2007 1
[page break]
Met Audrey at the De Grey Rooms in York in January 1947 & they married in Heslington Church, York in July 1948. Had a son, Stephen Roy, a daughter, Helen Joan, and, later welcomed a son-in-law, Kevin. Peter was always very proud of his family and enjoyed their love, caring attention & support. He touched many lives and is greatly missed by his family & friends: it was a privilege to know him.
Pete had a military funeral with eight Standard Bearers present. His cremation was followed by a celebration of his life at Fulwood Methodist Church. His ashes are to be scattered at the 106 Squadron Memorial at Metheringham. At a later date there will be a short Memorial Service at Manchester Airport when his name will be entered into the Book of Remembrance.
WRPPDFC/HJV/January 2007 2
Born 25th March 1923 at Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Attended St Paul's School, Rusthall. Moved to Tideford, Cornwall, in December 1936 & attended St. German's School.
Joined Royal Air Force 26th March 1941 & trained as a pilot at 31 EFTS De Winton, Alberta, Canada & 37 SFTS Calgary Airport, Alberta, Canada.
From June 1943 to February 1944 flew operations on Lancasters with 106 Squadron at RAF Syerston, Notts. & RAF Metheringham, Lincs. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in January 1944.
Instructed on Lancasters at No. 5 Lancaster Finishing School, RAF Syerston, February 1944 to early 1945 & promoted to Flight Lieutenant.
Started second operational tour with 106 Squadron at Metheringham & then, after VE Day, the Squadron 'joined' "Tiger Force" for Far East operations against Japan. VJ Day fortunately put a stop to that!
Joined RAF Transport Command in October 1945 & flew Yorks on RAF scheduled services: United Kingdom-India-Singapore.
De-mobbed in 1947. Joined Ministry of Civil Aviation as an Air Traffic Control Officer. Served at Liverpool (Speke) Airport, Belfast (Nutt's Corner) Airport, Belfast (Sydenham) Airport, Preston Air Traffic Control Centre (Barton Hall), RAF Hack Green Joint Air Traffic Control Radar Unit, RAF Lindholme Joint Air Traffic Control Radar Unit (I/C Civil Section), Preston Air Traffic Control Centre (as Deputy Centre Superintendent), Manchester Airport & Sub-centre (as Deputy ATCO I/C) and later promoted there to Chief Officer Civil Aviation Authority & Air Traffic Control Officer I/C.
Founder Member of the Guild of Air Traffic Control Officers & later served as the Master of the North-West Lodge.
Retired in 1983. Joined Freemasons. Founder Member of Blackpool & District Aircrew Association – served as Chairman, President & Secretary. Member Fylde Officers Association – served as Chairman & President. Founder Member 'Red Rose' Branch, Bomber Command Association – served at [sic] Secretary. Past Member Fylde Ex-Service Liaison Committee. Past Member Preston Ex-Service Associations Council.
WRPPDFC/HJV/January 2007 1
[page break]
Met Audrey at the De Grey Rooms in York in January 1947 & they married in Heslington Church, York in July 1948. Had a son, Stephen Roy, a daughter, Helen Joan, and, later welcomed a son-in-law, Kevin. Peter was always very proud of his family and enjoyed their love, caring attention & support. He touched many lives and is greatly missed by his family & friends: it was a privilege to know him.
Pete had a military funeral with eight Standard Bearers present. His cremation was followed by a celebration of his life at Fulwood Methodist Church. His ashes are to be scattered at the 106 Squadron Memorial at Metheringham. At a later date there will be a short Memorial Service at Manchester Airport when his name will be entered into the Book of Remembrance.
WRPPDFC/HJV/January 2007 2
Collection
Citation
W R P Perry and H J Verity, “William Ray Peter Perry DFC - biography,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed March 30, 2023, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/36139.
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