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Lance Corporal Alastair Perry was the son of Alexander W. Perry and Katie Perry, of Londonderry.

On the 11th of December 1941, a hand grenade was found in the Merseyside area of Liverpool lying in sand. It was handed over to an army patrol, who then sent it back to their headquarters via their lorry driver, who had put it in a tin. The tin was then set in the Section office. Corporal Thorpe and Lance Corporal Alastair Perry were present at the time and were told by the driver what he suspected was in the tin before he left the room.

Sometime later a group of soldiers were sitting in the Mess room when they heard a loud explosion. They immediately ran upstairs to the Section room and found Corporal Thorpe staggering in the stairway with multiple wounds to his body. He was immediately evacuated to the hospital. On entering the room, the soldiers found it full of smoke and under the table lay the lifeless body of Lance Corporal Alastair Perry.

Corporal Clifford Thorpe was immediately operated on when he went to hospital but unfortunately died three days later from his wounds.[1]

Alastair’s father, who was a council clerk in Londonderry and from Manse House, 8 Bonds Hill, received his effects which were £913, 10s and 7d.

He had been serving with the R.A.S.C. for over a year and after he died was given a full military funeral in England. His body was then brought home by an escort of troops. His funeral was a private event from his home on the 17th of December.

Date of Death: 11/12/1941 (Aged 29)

Service: Lance Corporal, Royal Army Service Corps

Service Number: T/202949

Burial Location: Glendermott Church of Ireland Churchyard and New Cemetery, Sec. D. Grave 75.


[1] Corporal Clifford Thorpe, 194293, Son of Horace and Sarah Annie Thorpe, of Armley, Leeds. Buried in Leeds, Armley cemetery.

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