LIEUTENANT FRANK RICHARD PERRETT
August 31, 1921 – April 25, 1945
Submitted by Janice Kidwell
BCGS Member #5033
Lieutenant Frank Richard Perrett was born August 31, 1921 in Vernon, B.C. to parents: Roy and Bessie Ada (Hutchings) Perrett of Vancouver, B.C. In the 1931 census the family was living on East 32nd Avenue in Vancouver.
Frank was a member of the Church of England and attended Windsor United Church located in Vancouver.
Frank’s schooling took place at Sir Richard McBride Elementary School and John Oliver High School where Frank finished Grade 12 at the age of 16. He had also taken Accountancy courses at LaSalle College in Vancouver. His hobbies were reading, mainly short stories, and music, as he played both the trumpet and piano. While at John Oliver he wrote the cheer “Come on Jayo, we’re rooting for you; we’re for the good old red and the blue…” Frank also played an integral part of the school’s drama production which in 1938 went to the Victoria Drama Festival for the first time.
Frank enlisted September 15, 1939 in Vancouver with his Attestation Papers being signed the same day. He was 18 years old. Noted in his application was that he drove both a car and a motorcycle – Class 111 license – and had some experience in leadership in school organizations. He had also worked as a paint clerk at David Spencer Ltd. in Vancouver. His trade was listed as a Professional Musician. Frank had the traditional medical examinations, tests and vaccines.
Lt. Perrett served with The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada; his Regimental number was K52331. The Seaforth Highlanders went overseas in December 1939 but because of his age Lt. Perrett was held back and spent the winter of 1939-40 at Currie Barracks in Calgary (Canadian Infantry Training Centre) as he was not permitted to go overseas. In June 1941 Lt. Perrett was deemed as a qualified and classified motorcycle orderly, Class 111. He also spent time in Kingston, Ontario.
Lt. Perrett completed officers’ training at Gordon Head in Victoria in 1942 and served as intelligence officer of the Seaforths as well as commending officer of the scout and sniper platoon. During this time Frank was remembered “as a tall, good-looking, likeable and happy-go-lucky guy”.
Summary of Lt. Perrett’s abilities: superior learning ability, Grade 12 education, clerking experience, instructional work in signals and basic training. He had excellent stability and was pleasant, alert and ambitious. It was suggested that Lt. Perrett would be excellent officer material and would make a good Regimental Signal Officer.
Lt. Perrett embarked from Canada during the second week of December 1942, disembarking at U.K. December 18, 1942 where he went for further military overseas training.
Lt. Perrett left the U.K. June 28, 1943 and disembarked at Italy on July 13, 1943. He was wounded in December 1943 at the time of the Morro River Battle of Ortona. Lt. Perrett was awarded the 1939-45 STAR. Lt. Perrett also fought in the Sicily and Italy Campaigns.
Lt. Perrett was wounded April 24, 1945 and listed as Killed In Action in Holland on April 25, 1945 – not that long before the Seaforths triumphantly entered Amsterdam on May 8 to liberate that city to crowds of cheering Dutch. Lt. Perrett was 23 years old.
LIEUTENANT
F.R. PERRETT
THE SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS
OF CANADA
25th APRIL 1945 AGE 23
+
TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS
OF THOSE WE LOVE
IS NOT TO DIE
Lt. Perrett was buried at Holten Canadian War Cemetery, The Netherlands. His Grave Reference is I.D.6.
Lt. Perrett received the following medals:
- 1939-45 STAR,
- France-Germany STAR
- Defence Medal
- CVS Medal and Clasp (awarded January 10, 1944)
- War Medal
- Italy STAR
The Memorial Bar was given to Lt. Perrett’s father; the Memorial Cross was
given to Lt. Perrett’s mother.
Lt. Perrett is remembered on the “Roll of Honour: WW II 1939-1945” for John Oliver High School Students “Who Died in Service for Their Country.” This plaque is mounted on the wall in the foyer of the school. There is also a Remembrance Window on the first floor and entrance at John Oliver which, among other items, displays the school crest, newspaper clippings and photos.
Lt. Perrett is commemorated on page 554 of the Second World War Book of
Remembrance.
Newspaper Clippings
- Vancouver Sun, May 14, 1945, page 7 and Vancouver Province, May 14, 1945, page 9 – Lt. Frank Perrett dies of wounds
- Vancouver Sun, May 23, 1945, page 6, Lt. Frank Perrett dies of wounds. Article contains a photo
- The Vancouver Province, May 30, 1945, page 6, R.F. Perrett killed in Holland. Article includes a photo.
- The Province, June 6, 1945, page 13, R. Perrett family gives thanks for remembering them at this time.
Sources
- www.ancestry.com
- BC Archives
- Canadian Virtual War Memorial
- https://canadianfallen.ca/
- Roll of Honour Plaque and Memorial Window – John Oliver High School,
Vancouver, B.C. - Book: The Story of South Vancouver and John Oliver High School by Ken MacLeod ISBN-978-1-77084-243-4
The British Columbia Genealogist, December 2024