2717309
L.SJT J.PERRY |
| Message Number: 41 Date: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 11:54:38 GMT Name: steve sanders Comments: i work for a recycling company in wiltshire.i found a photo of a grave in the rubbish.on the grave is written : 2717309 L.SJT J.PERRY, IRISH GUARDS, 2nd OCTOBER 1944 AGE 31. id like to think that the photo was thrown away by mistake,but anyway can anyone shed any light on who j.perry is and where he served and fell. thanks. |
I would like to shed some light on Steve Sanders (message number 41) find. The photos were thrown away as part of a house clearance as my grandmother had recently passed away (we all have similar photos of our own). John Perry was my grandfather and died in October of 1944 and is buried in Arnhem Oosterbeek war cemetery. I know little about him or his war record but was led to believe he flew gliders into Arnhem but was killed in the street fighting 4 months after the birth of his son, if anyone else has any details on him I would appreciate anything they have.
Hope this clarifies things and it is nice that someone has taken the time to enquire!
Kirsty |
Hello, With reference to 2717309 L.SJT J.PERRY, died 2 Oct 1944. Hoping this will be of some help in ascertaining the circumstances surrounding Lance Sergeant Perry's death. The 3rd Battalion War diary for this day states: “October 2 1944, AAM. At dawn a counter attack began again in some strength, this time directed from the NORTH on to the area of No. 2 Coy. It consisted of infantry, supported by tanks and flamethrowers and succeeded in over-running the left hand platoon position. This compelled No.2 Coy to withdraw from their isolated position to the rd parallel with No. 4 Coy at 719708. Very heavy artillery support succeeded time and again in breaking up the enemy infantry attacks before they were ever able to get properly under way, and by 12:00 hrs the attack had definitely proved itself a failure and the enemy were withdrawing. Another Coy of 1WG was placed under command during the morning and positioned on the NW flank. At noon we were informed that 5 Gds Armoured Brigade was to be relieved by 21 Gds Brigade the ensuing night, and shortly afterwards recce parties from 5 COLDM GDS arrived to recce their new area. The hand-over was completed without much difficulty and during the early hrs of darkness, the Battalion withdrew to a concentration area SOUTH of the NIJMEGEN bridge.” The History states: “On the 3rd Battalion front the Germans shelled and mortared all night, and at dawn (2nd October) they fell on No. 2 Company. In their effort to get to NIJMEGEN bridge they brought up everything they had and carefully stage-managed their attack. Squads of “man-pack” flame-throwers advanced towards the embankment, squirting streams of burning oil. Just behind them came ten tanks, firing steadily to protect them, and behind each tank filed a section of fifteen men. Farther back were more infantry in open formation. Captain Hendry called for the guns; the response was quick, but before The first shells landed the flame-throwers and tanks were on the two forward platoons. The right-hand platoon was burnt and shot out of its trenches; it fell back on No. 4 Company and there re-formed. The tanks swung round, destroyed the 17-pdr. anti-tank re-formed. The tanks swung round, destroyed the 17-pdr. anti-tank guns and pressed on to encircle the embankment. It looked for a moment as if they were going to have a clear run through to Battalion H.Q. Lieutenant Harvey-Kelly’s platoon, however, held its position and attracted the attention of the Germans while Captain A. Hendry withdrew the third platoon and Company H.Q. to a position level with No. 4 Company. The Company wireless set perversely “went dis,” that is, refused to work, so Captain Hendry sent C.S.M. French back to Battalion H.Q. to report the situation and ask for heavy artillery fire on the embankment. This fire came down on the embankment before Lieutenant Harvey-Kelly had withdrawn his platoon. He found it quite intolerable, and the German prisoners agreed. Four of the Panthers attacked straight down the road to help their infantry forward; Lieutenant Tottenham’s troop moved up to meet them. Sergeant Kelly’s Firefly hit and halted the leader before being itself knocked out by the second. The medium and field gunners were by now pouring shells into, behind and around the embankment. They hit and set on fire the maimed Panther and forced the others to withdraw. The German infantry switched their attacks on to No. 4 and No. 3 Companies, but they were beaten back by the Bren gunners. Their losses were very heavy as they advanced in close formation across open ground with the apparent intention of swamping the companies. The Corps Commander wirelesses a message of congratulations to the Battalion, telling them that they must at all costs hold the German attack. This the Battalion had already done. The concentration of artillery, tanks, mortar and small-arms fire was too much for the Germans and they withdrew about midday. The afternoon. “They were said to have disposed of about 150 guns in this sector,” said Colonel Joe. “It certainly felt like it.” They put another eight rounds straight into Battalion H.Q.’s house, which was now known as “Stonk Hall.” By mid-afternoon the German attempt to clear the Island had definitely failed. A token of the severity of the fighting was the loss suffered by No. 4 Company alone - more than sixty men in two days. The Irish Guards had done their task; their position was made even more secure than before by the addition of “X” Company, Scots Guards. Pleasure was added to satisfaction when Colonel Joe was told that the Irish was to be relieved by the Coldstream Group. The 3rd Battalion transport went back to find billets for the Battalion in HOOGBREK, and the 2nd Battalion harbour parties found some farm-houses near ALVERNA, south of NIJMEGEN.” [L/Sgt Perry’s records can of course be obtained by application to Wellington Barracks, by the Next-of-Kin or with their written consent.] Regards, D. Flanagan |