Pte 52901 Frank Merrick

• Age: 26
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 18th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Mont-noir M C St Jans-cappel
  Panel Ref: II.D.9

Frank Merrick was born on 04th January 1892 in Manchester and was the son of George Edwin Merrick and his wife Elizabeth Ann (nee Jackson). Frank was baptised on 23rd March 1892 at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Irwell Street, Salford. His parents married in 1883. 

On the 1901 census he is aged 9 b.Salford living at 5 Lower Islington, Salford.  His father George E. is aged 44 and employed as a carpet cleaner born in Stone, Staffs., whilst his mother Elizabeth A. is aged 41 and was born in Salford. Frank has one sibling, his brother Sidney who is aged 13 and was born in Salford.

On the 1911 Census Frank is aged 19, and employed as a home trade warehouseman, living at 18 Muriel St, Lower Broughton. His father George E. is now aged 54 and an upholsterer,  whilst his mother Elizabeth A. is aged  51 and described as a housekeeper. They advise that they have been married for 28 years and have had four children, two of whom have survived. His brother Sidney is also in the household, he is now aged 23 and is a home trade warehouseman. 

The two children who sadly died are George who died in infancy in the September quarter of 1886 and Edwin who also died in infancy in the June quarter of 1894.

Frank enlisted in Manchester and was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 52901 when he was killed in action on the 18th April 1918 aged 26 during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion diary entry for the day reveals that 10 Other Ranks were killed during heavy shelling of the area.  

18^th April 1918

No aggressive action on either side. The activity being confined to artillery. The French had come up in great force and  assisted our artillery with the famous “75s”. The Battn came under heavy shell fire at one period. 10 O.R. being killed and 3 wounded.

The weather, which up to this time had been quite good, turned and snow, rain and hail fell.

Frank was one of the 10 Other Ranks referred to in the diary entry.

He now rests at Mont-Noir Military Cemetery, St. Jans-Cappel, France.

The hill was captured by the Cavalry Corps on the 13th October 1914, and held throughout the Battles of the Lys, 1918. On the North side of the Berthen-Westoutre road, is the Battle Memorial of the 34th Division, marking the final position of Divisional Headquarters in the Battles of the Lys. The Cemetery was made in April-September 1918, and at the Armistice it contained 91 British graves and 33 French (all of the 26th Dragoons or the 88th Infantry Regiment). It was then enlarged by the concentration of British and French graves (including one of November 1914) from the battlefields immediately South of it and the following cemetery:- WOLFHOEK BRITISH CEMETERY, ST. JANS-CAPPEL, which was by the roadside, nearly 200 metres South-West of the hamlet of Wolfhoek and contained the graves of 23 United Kingdom soldiers. It was made in August-September 1918, mainly by the 36th (Ulster) Division. Also, near the centre of the cemetery, are the graves of two unidentified British soldiers of the 1939-1945 War. There are now 149 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war here, 15 being unidentified. There are 2 unidentified Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war here. There are also 84 French burials of the 1914-1918 war here. The cemetery covers an area of 1,315 square metres and is enclosed by a low rubble wall.

His death was reported in the Manchester Evening News on 30th April 1918

MERRICK - Private FRANK MERRICK King's Liverpool Regiment, killed in action April 18, age 26, of Muriel Street, Lower Broughton, worked for A. Midwoods, Fountain Street. - Beloved by all who knew him.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Elizabeth Ann.

His father died aged 74 in 1930 whilst his mother died aged 85 in 1945. 

We currently have no further information on Frank Merrick, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.