JACK Perry, who has died aged 92, was one of the RAF’s finest characters and social secretary of the world-famous Guinea Pig Club for airmen with severe burns for more than 40 years.

Mr Perry was just 19 when his Halifax Bomber crashed and left him with 80 per cent burns to his hands, face and ears in 1944.

He joined the Guinea Pig Club – a social group and support network – and helped and inspired hundreds of veterans.

Earlier this year he received an MBE in the New Year’s honours list for services to veterans.

Jack Perry was born in Dartmouth, Devon, on July 25, 1925, to parents William, a volunteer fireman, and Eva Perry.

He grew up in Dartmouth with his elder sister Kathleen, known as Kay, and younger brother Gordon.

His younger brother Clive died from meningitis aged just 18 months.

The family moved across the River Dart to Kingswear when he was 11 but he continued his education in Dartmouth.

On leaving school aged 14 he worked as a messenger boy for the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth and joined the Air Training Corps as soon as he was old enough two years later.

He had undertaken engineering training and when he turned 18 he volunteered for air crew.

He retrained and became a flight sergeant in Six Group Bomber Command.

On August 31, 1944 his Halifax Bomber exploded over Yorkshire.

The severity of his burns meant he had to undergo 30 operations.

While recovering at Marchwood Park, a convalescent home near Southampton a group a young ladies came along for a dance.

It was here he met his future wife Mary who worked for the post office in Southampton.

They married on March 4, 1950 and had three children John, Jane and Andrew.

He got a job as a draughtsman at Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell and was offered a house in Didcot.

They moved to Harwell in 1966, where Mary Perry still lives now.

Mr Perry worked at AERE until his retirement in 1984 and then enjoyed snooker and golf in his latter years.

He died on August 7 and is survived by his wife Mary, his three children, two grandsons Mark and Ben and great-grandson Archie.

His funeral will take place in private later this month but a celebration of his life will be held at St Matthew’s Church in Harwell at 1pm on September 2.