Search our records : Harold Lewis Perryman

Harold Perryman was born in Branscombe in 1896, the son of Charles Perryman, a stockman on a farm.   In the 1901 census the family was living at Lower Watercombe, Branscombe.  Harold was only five, and he had two elder sisters, Lilly, aged 14 in 1901, and Clara, who was nine.  Their mother had apparently died by this time, as Charles is described as a widower.

Harold enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps and took his oath of allegiance in Axminster on 7^th February 1916, but was not actually called up until 5^th April 1917.  He gave his home address as Long Hill, Beer.

On enlisting, his army record shows that Harold was 5ft 6 ½ inches tall.  His next of kin was his father, Charles Perryman, of Ashill, Beer, showing that the family had by this time moved out of Branscombe.

On the 17^th October 1918 Harold was sent to France, and remained overseas almost a year after the Armistice.  He eventually returned to England on 24^th October 1919, and was finally demobbed on 21^st November that year.  He appears to have been serving in the Army of Occupation, as his Army record shows Germany as the ‘theatre of war or command’ from which he was returning.

Harold died in 1967, aged 72.