Derry was born in England. He obtained an honor science degree from University of Cambridge before moving to Canada. He attended the University of Toronto and obtained his Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in geology.
He was largely responsible for the creation of the World Atlas of Geological and Mineral Deposits. In 1935, he started work at Ventures Limited., which later became Falconbridge Limited. Derry worked closely with Thayer Lindsley.
He supervised exploration and mining programs in Canada and many other countries, including South Africa, Greece, Guyana, Chile, Peru, and Greenland.
His work at Venture was interrupted by World World War World War II He enlisted and served as a squadron leader navigation training officer In 1950, he compiled a tectonic map of Canada with John Sinclair Stevenson.
lieutenant was the first time in Canada that structural data from government, university, and industry sources were combined and synthesized. In 1954, Derry became president of Rio Tinto Exploration.
He was a part of the acquisition and development of the Rio Algom"s bit uranium mines in the Elliot Lake area of Ontario.
Doctor Derry spent three years researching, compiling, funding and publishing the World Atlas of Geological and Mineral Deposits. In reference to his work on this textbook and his induction, the representative of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame expressed that he, “added immeasurably not only to the advancement of the geological sciences and their practical application to mining development in Canada and elsewhere, but to the publication of world literature in the field” Doctor Derry was a past-president of the Society of Economic Geologists. He was a part of founding Geological Association of Canada, the Canadian Geological Foundation, and the Canadian Geoscience Council.
Since 1980, the Geological Association of Canada has awarded the.