George Thomas Perry was born in 1886 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and baptised on Wednesday, 18th August in the same year. He was the fourth child of Samuel Perry and Eliza Cook and he had seven siblings who were: William, Walter Samuel, Ernest, all older and Ethel, Emma Sophia, Joseph James and Daniel. When George was born his family lived in Kings Arms Yard behind the pub on the High Street.

George left school in 1899 and went to work for John Dickinson & Co. Limited in Apsley Mills where he initially trained as a "Framemaker". He remained at Dickinsons until he went to war and by 1911, he worked as a "Paper Cutter" in Apsley Mills where he operated a guillotine. George was a keen footballer and was known to many as the goalkeeper for Hemel Hempstead for a number of years. He met Ethel Lane who also worked in Apsley Mills as a "Black Borderer" and they became sweethearts. Ethel had been born in 1886 in Piccott’s End not far from Chapel Street where George was born and grew up. Ethel had been raised in Boxmoor by her Grandparents and like George, joined Dickinsons as soon as she left school.

George and Ethel married on Sunday, 13th October 1907, at St Paul’s Church on Queen Street in Hemel Hempstead. George’s brother Walter was his Best Man and Ethel’s sister Millie was her Bridesmaid. The newlyweds both lived on Austin’s Place just off the High Street in Hemel Hempstead when they were married and soon afterwards moved into number 14 Chapel Street where they set up home. Their first child Lilian Rhoda was born in 1908 and she was followed a year later by Marjorie Ethel. Both girls were baptised in nearby St Mary’s Church and Lilian alongside Eric Needham, the youngest son of Edgar Needham the proprietor of the Hemel Gazette who also lost his son Walter in the Great War. George and Ethel’s first son Ernest was born in 1911, but tragically died almost immediately. Winifred came along in 1912, then Leonard who sadly in 1915 died a year after his birth. Their last child and only surviving son Harold was born in 1916.

George volunteered under the Military Service Act when he attested at Hemel Hempstead in August 1916, enlisting with the Suffolk Regiment. He was immediately sent for basic training with the 3rd Battalion at Felixstowe and then sent overseas to join the 12th (Service) Battalion (East Anglian) Suffolk Regiment. It is not known when he was posted but it was most likely around February or March 1917. However, on arriving at Base Camp in France he was transferred to the 11th Battalion Essex Regiment and joined his new unit at the Front as it was being rebuilt following heavy casualties from the previous year’s fighting. George was in the trenches almost immediately upon arrival and in August fought at the Battle of Hill 70, near Lens, in support of the Canadian Divisions. For the rest of 1917 he saw action in the operations around Cambrai. Following this George was granted some home leave and returned to see his family and friends for what would prove to be the last time.

By early 1918 the 11th Essex, still in the Somme sector, fought over two weeks in the German Spring offensive, "Operation Michael" in and around St Quentin. This was followed immediately by action to the north near Bailleul in the Battle of the Lys, the Fourth Battle of Ypres. On the 10th April the Battalion was in support at the Battle of Messines in the vicinity of "Polygon Wood" when the unit war diaries recorded that it “…sustained 3 or 4 casualties from one of a battery of our 6” howitzers which was shooting on our front and support line.” No other casualties were recorded over the next three days so it is most likely that George was one of the men from the howitzer battery injured.

George was recorded Killed in Action on Thursday, 11th April 1918.

His death was announced shortly afterwards in the Hemel Gazette which incorrectly recorded that George and Ethel had five living children when in fact only four of their offspring where alive when George was killed. 

He was commemorated on the John Dickinson & Co Limited War Memorial in Apsley End and on the War Memorial Plaque in St. Mary's Church on the High Street Hemel Hempstead where he had been baptised and worshipped.

George is Remembered with Honour in Polygon Wood Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium, where he is interred in Grave H. 8.

He was 32 years old when he died.

George was eligible for the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.