Stanley Perrie was born on February 20, 1895 in the farming community of Treherne, Manitoba. His parents James and Eliza Perrie had 3 other children Alex, John and Mary. His mother died in 1910 and his sister Mary took over her mother’s role of cooking, cleaning and looking out for her older brothers until James remarried in 1914.

In January 1916 at the age of 21, Stanley enlisted where he started out with the 222nd Battalion. In November 1916 he sailed from Halifax for England on board the S.S. Olympic. After arriving in England and just prior to leaving for France, he was transferred to the 8th Battalion. In February 1917 as part of the Canadian contingent he was transferred yet again, this time to the 2nd Tunneling Company which was tasked with constructing the tunnels and trenches below Vimy Ridge as well as other strategic locations along the front line trenches including Ypres, Mount Sorrel and Reningelst, which is near Flanders Field in Belgium. In June 1917, his unit was at Mount Sorrel, which would eventually take possession of an underground German tunnel system that would eventually be connected to their own tunnels and was used to bring in reinforcements. Then at the end of July 1917 while still in the Reningelst area, his unit was divided into three parties to conduct maintenance in the dug-outs while enemy airplanes dropped bombs in the vicinity. He stayed with this company through until mid August 1917 where he rejoined the 8th Battalion.

From August 1917 through to the end of February 1918 his unit was involved in day-to-day operations in Northern France. In March, the 8th Battalion was fighting near the front line near the towns of Bracquemont and Lens which are located in northern France near the Belgium/France border. While conditions in the trenches were very muddy they were starting to dry up.

Early on the morning of March 9th the Brigade raided the enemy’s trenches and returned a short time later. The Germans retaliated with gas and explosive shells, some falling on the Brigade’s front line. Stanley sustained multiple shrapnel wounds throughout his body as well as skull fracture to the base of his skull. He was initially listed as being with his unit as there was no record of him being on the casualty list. It was later discovered that he had been transported to the 3rd Field Ambulance Depot where he later died of his wounds. He is buried in Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension near the towns of Aix-Noulette and Bethune, France.

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