Samuel Perrow died of illness on this day in 1917
Samuel Perrow was born on 13 March 1894 in Birmingham. His father was a brass founder also called Samuel Perrow; his mother was Clara née Packer.
He had four siblings - an older sister, Emily, and younger brothers Samuel, John and William. In 1901, the family lived at 20 Pickford Street, Digbeth in Birmingham.
Samuel was educated at the nearby Floodgate Street School.
By 1911, Samuel's father had died. The family lived in the same house and 17 year old Samuel was working as a Plumber's Brass Turner, a person who worked on a lathe to finish brass components such as taps, faucets, valves, and couplings.
In April 1912, Samuel joined the Territorial Force in Aston, Birmingham. In August 1914, he was called up to the 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
On 20 November 1915, he married a local girl, Maud Bentley.
At some point, he transferred from the Royal Warwickshires to the 66th Machine Gun Company. After training in England, on 5 July 1916, the Company left Devonport for Salonika, where they joined the 66th Infantry Brigade of the 22nd Division. Samuel joined them there on 26 October 1916.
The Brigade had already participated in several engagements on the Salonika front, including the Battles of Horseshoe Hill (10-18 August 1916) and Machukovo (13-14 September 1916), before playing a key role in the Battle of Doiran (8-9 May 1917).
On 8 May 1917, Charles was admitted to hospital with a Colles Fracture of his left wrist. His admission details confirm that he was in the 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, attached to the 66th Machine Gun Company.
His wife, Maud, gave birth to their daughter, Olive Maud, on 19 June 1917. It seems certain that Charles never saw his daughter.
During this period, while the brigade was fighting in the hilly region around Lake Doiran, they faced heavy malaria and disease in addition to opposing Bulgarian forces.
On 28 August 1917, Charles died at the 49th General Hospital for infectious diseases in Salonika from diphtheria contracted whilst on active service. He is buried in Mikra British Military Cemetery in Kalamaria, Greece
His Lieutenant wrote "He was in my section and was one of the most popular men, both with the officers and the men."
46865 Lance Corporal Samuel Perrow 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, attached to the 66th Machine Gun Company