Date of birth:

February 16th, 1911 (Toronto, Canada)

Date of death:

October 13th, 1944 (Woensdrecht, the Netherlands)

Buried on:

Canadian War Cemetery Bergen op Zoom
Plot: 3. Row: B. Grave: 5.

Service number:

B/117924

Nationality:

Canadian

George Alfred Perry was the son of George A. Perry and Bessie Perry (nee Anderson) and was married to Catherine Perry. He served as a Private with the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.

George dropped out at 14, grade 8 because he had to go to work. George worked for 2 years at Nat'l Rubber and then as a textile cutter at E.G. Walker & Sons in Toronto.

George had been with the Toronto Scottish (MG) Non-Permanent Active Militia since 1932 and participated in most summer camps. The Toronto Scottish (MG) regiment supported the infantry with machine guns and mortar groups. George was promoted to Corporal on July 23, 1940, A / Sergeant on June 15, 1942 and Sergeant on March 18, 1943. He received training in and later instructed the 3 "mortar group and the Vickers and Browning machine guns.

Early in the war, on September 6, 1939, George applied for active duty, but was turned down because of his eyesight (poor vision). On October 12, 1943, George again applied for active duty at # 2 District Depot in Toronto.

George is 1.61 meters tall and weighs 58 kg. He has blue eyes and brown hair. A scar was seen on the Toronto's right leg and a long scar on his left hand when applying for active duty in October 1943. He has 3 numb spots on the left hand.

On October 14, 1943, he is described as a short, active man in a report. He has no flaws, looks intelligent and speaks and thinks quickly. Because of his employment history, he appears collaborative and reliable. His hobbies are fishing and hunting. The advice: infantry (supportive), possibly non-commissioned officer.

On October 12, 1943, he is assigned to # 2 District Depot in Toronto and subsequently transferred to No. 20 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Center in Brantford, Ontario on November 19, 1943. January 6, 1944: "combative, feels at home in the army. Would love to go to the Toronto Scottish". On January 25, 1944, George enters the A14 Canadian Infantry Training Center at Camp Aldershot, Nova Scotia. On January 27, he finished basic training. On March 1, 1944, he is transferred to A11 Canadian Infantry Training Center in Camp Borden, Ontario. On June 2, George is considered suitable for overseas duty in a role of infantry support machine gun and range-taker ("distance meter").

On June 24, George is assigned to 6 CIRU, an infantry reserve unit in England.

On August 12, George arrives in France and is immediately assigned to the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.

Black Friday
October 13, 1944 is known as "Black Friday". Lieutenant Colonel Withaker calls it in his book (see source) "the day of the betrayal of the "civilian in uniform", the young volunteer of the Black Watch who had volunteered with enthusiasm for the Canadian army".

By then, The Black Watch had already suffered heavy losses. The 1st battalion suffered more casualties than any other Canadian infantry battalion in northwestern Europe. Disaster seemed to follow the Regiment in almost every battle.

During the Battle of Verrières Ridge on July 25, 1944, the regiment suffered 97% casualties. Of the 325 men who left the starting line, only 15 came back into their own lines. The others were killed, wounded or taken prisoner, a company of 90 men registered only four survivors.

Another 40% were killed 10 days later in Operation Totalize. A month before Operation Angus, the regiment lost 60 men between September 12-14. In October, the Regiment expected to be fully staffed and resupplied, but this was not the case. The regiment lost many trained men in recent months and was replenished with inexperienced infantrymen and still deemed below original strength.

The attack was ordered by Major General Foulkes, commander of the Canadian 2nd Corps, who was aware of the Black Watch's situation. Lieutenant Colonel Ritchie, commander of the Black Watch of Canada and Brigade Commander Megill, commander of the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade, protested, but Foulkes did not change his mind.

The attack turned into a major failure. Intelligence was insufficient as it turned out that the Germans in the area were well organized, well dug in and appeared to be elite troops. The Black Watch was ill-prepared. The attack was launched during the day, in an area where the beet leaves provided the only cover. Support from tanks etc. was not possible due to the swampy ground.

B and C companies were ordered to attack the Germans in the morning. The starting point of the attack was the Grindweg in Woensdrecht, and its objective was the railway embankment on the Kreekrakdam. The attack started at 6.15 am. Within a short time the attack came to a halt due to heavy losses. A smoke screen was insufficient to improve the situation. A number of men from C Company managed to reach the embankment, but were taken prisoner.

C Company registered 25 men returning from the battlefield, while B company registered 41 men. Note: A company consisted of 130 men. The companies lost many commanding officers.

At 17.00, the attack was resumed by A Company, supported from the flank by D Company and the remainder of B Company. In one hour, Company A lost nearly 70 men, 9 men returned unharmed. D Company also lost several dozen soldiers. The Black Watch ran out of company commanders. The Black Watch suffered the highest losses in 1 day out of all Canadian forces fighting in the Netherlands. The Black Watch of Canada reported 145 casualties, 56 killed, 62 wounded, and 27 POWs.

George belonged to D Company. It is not possible to determine his role during that day. He was killed on October 13, 1944, aged 33. He was initially reported missing.

On October 24, the Calgary Highlanders discovered the bodies of dozens of missing men from the Black Watch on their march to the Caterspolder.

On October 27, 1944, George was temporarily buried in the temporary cemetery Ossendrecht at the current Burgemeester Voetenweg, near the war memorial of Ossendrecht, plot 2, row 1, grave 30.

A reburial on the Canadian Cemetery in Bergen op Zoom followed on May 16, 1945.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• Photo 1: Mia van den Berg
• - Slag om Woensdrecht: bevrijding van de Zuidwesthoek red: J. van Doorn, J.S. Bos. ISBN 90-802126-2-8
  - De strijd om de Schelde W. Denis Whitaker&Shelagh Whitaker ISBN 90-6045-390-5
  - Zuehlke, M - Terrible Victory ISBN 978-1-77162-030-7
  - CWGC
  - Ancestry.com - Canada, World War II Records and Service Files of War Dead, 1939-1947
  - OSSENDRECHT Burial
  - WAR DIARY 1st. Bn. Black Watch (RHR) of Canada Month of October, 1944.
  - Jozef Mahieu (biography)

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