Perris, NF

Lieutenant Noel Felix Perris

Born in Chiswick on Christmas Day 1893, Noel was the eldest of three children, of whom he was the only son, of author and editor George Perris and his wife, Mary. He spent a year at the College, between 1907 and 1908, and after he left continued his studies, particularly specialising in the field of science.

In October 1914, two months after the commencement of the war, Noel signed up as a member of the City of London Royal Fusiliers, taking up his commission the following summer when he was yet to serve abroad. He spent the year after being granted his commission serving first in the Dardanelles, then Egypt, before finally transferring to France. In July 1916 he was seriously wounded whilst serving on the Western Front, and as a result was invalided home; upon his return to service the following year he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, with whom he remained in England, engaging in defence work and training as a pilot. On July 20^th 1918, by now part of the reconfigured R.A.F., he was killed when his plane collided in mid-air with that of a fellow R.A.F. officer whilst over Kent, defending against a German air raid.