PERKINS Derrick L

There is no record of this casualty on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database.

Derrick Perkins was born on 6th June 1920, one of at least 4 children of Samuel Louis and Ethel May (nee Sims) Perkins.  His father Samuel served in the Worcestershire Regiment in the Great War seeing active service in France from 1915.  Derrick attended Broadwas School prior to entering Martley School on 11th January 1932, when the family lived at Brownscroft Farm, Wichenford.  He volunteered for the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1939 and he became a rear gunner in Wellington bombers.  According to family sources his aircraft was shot down over Germany on a bombing raid and Derrick was the only surviving crew member.  In 1942 he was sent to Canada where he slept on a concrete floor in the barracks.  He contracted tuberculosis (TB) and was sent back to Papworth Hospital in England before being transferred to Knightwick Sanatorium on 17th March 1943 from where he was discharged.  He died of TB at home on 5th November 1945, aged 25.