Oliver Haslewood Perks
Oliver Perks was born on February 10th 1920, in Bristol. One of six children, he went to Blundell's School, Tiverton in Devon, and then in 1938 to Exeter College, Oxford to read Law. He had only completed a year of his studies before the Second World War broke out.
Oliver initially joined the 16th Field Training Regiment at Exeter on the 15th August 1940. He was commissioned in 1943, and then served in the 90th (City of London) Regiment until the end of the war.
Identity card photograph: 277651,
Lt. O.H. Perks R.A., December 1945.
(click on any image for a larger view)
This website contains a variety of photographic, audio and written documentation about Oliver's WWII experiences. He began recording his war memories in 2008, but had already published a number of articles setting out some specific events in issues of The Gunner, the journal of the Royal Artillery.
Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog
Gun Laying Competition, R.A. O.C.T.U., April 1943. Oliver can be seen 2nd from the right.
This web site was set up in February 2010 to celebrate Oliver's 90th birthday, and features his wartime blog in the form of detailed recollections covering the period 1940-1945. Oliver has an amazing memory, and recalls his WWII experiences with candour and humour, describing both the serious and trivial events that he was a part of.
Each chapter of Oliver's Blog is available as a written transcription and as an audio MP3 file. Additional chapters will be added as they become available. Oliver was a keen photographer, so a selection of his wartime images are featured as well.
Left: Brussels 5th September 1944. Oliver can be seen standing behind a local girl.
Copyright © 2010-2011 Oliver Perks. All Rights Reserved.
