[2][4] With the surrender of the Japanese and during the tumultuous Malayan emergency that followed, he was responsible in restarting and extending the Anglo Chinese School (ACS), Telok Anson (now Sekolah Kebangsaan Horley Methodist, Teluk Intan) with the help of the returning British administration and local philanthropists.

[8] He and his siblings, elder sister Margaret, and younger brothers Samuel, Joseph and Daniel grew up in Seremban, Negri Sembilan where his father was subsequently transferred.

After passing the local government school leaving exams at Standard VII, at the direction of his father, he continued his studies whilst living in Prai, Penang with his parents.

As he describes in his memoirs,[9] The First World War had broken out and I remember one morning at about 4.30 am when I was studying alone, my parents and brothers being all asleep I heard a loud explosion.

We spent a good part of that morning at the harbour watching the marine police and volunteers bringing ashore dead bodies.

As soon as Turkey joined the war on the side of the Germans, the Moslem section of the Malay States Guides stationed in Singapore mutinied and there was great commotion in the country.

By heeding the sound advice of his mentor Mr W. A. Rabel and friends, he saved enough money to invest in coconut and rubber plantations which he successfully ran whilst continuing his career as a teacher.

This gave him financial independence to pursue various social activities like helping organise the Boy Scouts of Lower Perak and the Methodist Youth Fellowship, Telok Intan.

This gave him the opportunity to interact and befriend influential people from various social and ethnic groups like the Japanese, Chinese, Eurasians, Indians, Europeans, Malays and the Royalty of Teluk Anson.

Despite being instructed to leave Teluk Anson by the British district officer, W. E. Perera was one of a few people that boldly came out of hiding to help the unfortunate victims.

He was a volunteer in the St Johns Ambulance at that time and months earlier had received training as a Superintendent of a medical unit which he put to good use.

Sometime prior to the coming of the Japanese, the medical Officer having been panic-stricken left his post stealthily without leaving any instructions to his assistants in hospital.

[13] During the war, a number of people lived with the family of W. E. Perera at his residence at various times for protection against persecution by the Japanese, Communists and for economic reasons.

The paratroopers told me that their orders were that the British Indian Troops that were then disembarking at Port Swettenham were destined to the north by-passing Telok Anson.

My greatest thrill was during the early period of the British military administration, when the Communists tried to show their power by ordering the closure of schools and holding processions and rallies etc.

[4][15] As principal, he created a new high school with a laboratory for science teaching as an extension of ACS, Teluk Anson by getting his friend Mr V. Kn.

Kannappa Chettiar to dispose of a five-acre block of rubber land which he owned adjoining the Raja Muda's Istana for a reasonably low price of $25,000.

[6] Not one to rest on his laurels, W. E. Perera refused to accept any offers of honours or awards from the Sultan of Perak for his community service during the war.

He also refused the recommendation for an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) award made by the then governor Sir Edward Gent.

[6] Keeping to his desire to retire in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor so that his children could have better work and social opportunities, W. E Perera accepted the position of Principal of the Kishan Dial School, Petaling Jaya from the late Swami Satayanda.

Here he delved into the study of Asian philosophy and was involved in the establishment of the Brickfields Buddhist Temple among other social endeavours like volunteering in the schools for the underprivileged.