In 1819, he was appointed professor of topographical drawing at the Royal Military College, a position he occupied until 1823.

He then served in the Peninsular war under Sir George Murray and was present at Badajoz, Nivelle and Nive.

Perry, with Captain William Dumaresq, was responsible for returning to Venice the four bronze horses of St Mark's which Napoleon had removed to Paris.

[1] In 1824 he went to Dominica as private secretary and colonial aide-de-camp to the governor, Major-General William Nicolay.

In 1829, Perry was appointed Deputy Surveyor General of New South Wales by Sir George Murray (who was by then secretary of state),[2] and arrived in Sydney in August 1829 aboard the Sovereign with his wife, Caroline, and six children.