Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021:
The younger brother of Stanley Llewellyn Perry, Theophilus William Perry, 22, was an Auburn Memorial man who belonged to the 40th Infantry NSW Militia that paraded in the Drill Hall in Stanley Street, Burwood. Perry the younger, a wood machinist, enlisted on 8 September 1915. Like numerous other Australians who enlisted in the second half of 1915, Theophilus was too late for Gallipoli, but he spent considerable time in Egypt when there was substantial rearrangement of the Australian forces after the evacuation. During this time, Theophilus was promoted to sergeant.
Theophilus followed his older brother into the 45th Battalion and they arrived in France on 8 June 1916. Theophilus was on the Western Front for almost two years, less four months in the United Kingdom attending an Officers Course at Balliol College, Oxford. He was commissioned in April 1917 and promoted to 1st lieutenant in September 1917.
Theophilus survived the major battles of First Somme, Bullecourt and Passchendaele, but was killed in action on 5 April 1918 during the German spring offensive. He was buried in the Millencourt Communal Cemetery Extension, west of the town of Albert. Albert was the battlefield gateway town for British forces during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. It was lost to the Germans in their advance of 1918.
The widowed mother of the Perry brothers lived in Dartbrook Road, Auburn.
Theophilus Perry is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- Auburn North Public School Great War Roll of Honor
- Auburn Public School First World War Honour Roll
- Auburn Boys Public School Great War Honour Roll
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- British War Medal 1914-20
- Victory Medal
