Sgt 21591 William Tom Perreyman

• Age: 29
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Sunday 9th June 1918
• Commemorated at: Wimereux Cc
  Panel Ref: XI.H.7.A

William Tom Perreyman was born in the third quarter of 1888 in Liverpool and was the only son of Tom Perreyman and his wife Julia Amy (nee White) who were married in the first quarter of 1886 in Cheltenham.

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 14 Beechbank Road, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. His father, Tom, is shown as a Post Office superintendent born in Aminster, Devon in 1858. His mother, Julia Amy, is shown as born in St Helens. William Tom is 12 and has an older sister Emily Mary who was born in 1887.

William Tom was educated at Liverpool Institute from 1901.
 
His father died on 17th April 1906 and Probate was granted on 14th July 1906.

The 1911 Census finds the family still living at Beechbank Road. His mother, Julia Amy, is now shown as a Teacher, William Tom is now 22 and a Clerk whilst his 24 year old sister is also still in the household.      

William enlisted in Liverpool on 11th September 1914, joining the 19th Battalion as Private 21591, giving his age as 26 years and 30 days and his occupation is shown as Clerk. He also advised that he had served in the 10th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment, more commonly known as the Liverpool Scottish. He is described as being 5'6 and 3/4 inches tall, weighing 120lbs with a 35 inch chest. He is of fresh complexion with grey eyes and brown hair. his next of kin is his mother.

He must have impressed his Ofiicers as he received a series of promotions. He was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 4th March 1915 whilst at Knowsley. He was appointed paid Lance Corporal on 20th May 1915 at Belton Park. He served overseas in France and Flanders from 07th November 1915. He was appointed acting Serjeant on 18th March 1916 whilst with the 30th I.B.D. at Etaples but reverted to Corporal upon his return to the 19th Battalion on 28th March. He was eventually promoted to Sergeant on 18th February 1917. 

He had a series of medical problems receiving medical treatment for a septic foot on 21st December 1915 and was admitted to Hospital at Rouen, eventually being discharged a month later on 21st January 1916. It was then that he was posted to the Battalion Depot at Etaples on a temporary promotion. Whilst there he was treated for Influenza in February 1916. On 6th March he was severely reprimanded for being absent from Staff Parade. He was granted Class 1 proficiency pay on 16th Sept 1916 and later in the year he was granted leave to the UK from 3rd - 15th November 1916. He was also granted leave to the UK ifrom 16th -28th September 1917. He attended NCO Instruction School 19th Nov 1917 at Tadworth Camp, Nr Epsom Racecourse before returning to France on 30th December 1917.

On 03rd May 1918 during the German Spring Offensive he was wounded by a gun shot to the head. He was treated at the Field Ambulance, 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station before reaching No.83 General Hospital, Boulogne on 04th May. He died in consequence of his wounds on the 09^th June 1918 at the 83 General Hospital, Boulogne. He was 29 years of age. 

William Tom Perreyman now rests at Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France. His headstone bears the heartbreakingly poignant epitaph:

“THEY DIED FOR THE DREAM OF A WORLD TO BE FREE”

Wimereux was the headquarters of the Queen Mary's Army Auxilliary Corps during the First World War and in 1919 it became the General Headquarters of the British Army. From October 1914 onwards, Boulogne and Wimereux formed an important hospital centre and until June 1918, the medical units at Wimereux used the communal cemetery for burials, the south-eastern half having been set aside for Commonwealth graves, although a few burial were also made among the civilian graves. By June 1918, this half of the cemetery was filled, and subsequent burials from the hospitals at Wimereux were made in the new military cemetery at Terlincthun. During the Second World War, British Rear Headquarters moved from Boulogne to Wimereux for a few days in May 1940, prior to the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. Thereafter, Wimereux was in German hands and the German Naval Headquarters were situated on the northern side of the town. After D-Day, as Allied forces moved northwards, the town was shelled from Cap Griz-Nez, and was re-taken by the Canadian 1st Army on 22 September 1944. Wimereux Communal Cemetery contains 2,847, Commonwealth burials of the First World War, two of them unidentified. Buried among them is Lt.-Col. John McCrae, author of the poem "In Flanders Fields." There are also five French and a plot of 170 German war graves. The cemetery also contains 14 Second World War burials, six of them unidentified. The Commonwealth section was designed by Charles Holden.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 12th June 1918:

PERREYMAN - June 9, at General Hospital,, aged 29-years WILLIAM TOM. Dearly beloved and only son of J. Amy and the late Tom Perreyman, 14 Beechbank Road, Sefton Park. (Duty nobly done.)

His mother received his medals and his personal effects which included letters, photographs, a photograph wallet, a pocket book, a diary, a book of poems, an Ingersoll watch, a pocket comb, a pocket knife, a cap badge and cards.

Pension was awarded to his sister Emily Mary.

Probate was granted 19th October 1918.

William Tom is commeorated on the following Memorials:

Liverpool Institute

St Matthew and St James Church, Mossley Hill.

We currently have no further information on William Tom Perreyman, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.