MERRICK, James

James Merrick lived at 7 Copenhagen Row, Church Street, Stourbridge, and attended the Roman Catholic school. He enlisted in late 1917 or early 1918 and was sent to the Hampshire Regiment. At some point he was transferred to the 5th Berkshires, possibly after injury. This battalion was in the 12th Division which played a major part in the Advance to Victory from August to November 1918. In the breakout the Berkshires were involved from the 6th August in the attacks designed to pinch out the Germans in the Amiens salient. They advanced steadily until the 30th August when the whole of the old Somme battlefield had been regained. They resumed their attack in early September capturing Nurlu at some cost and reached the Hindenburg Line by the 27th September. They moved to the Vimy sector in early October and advanced to the River Escaut. Among the seriously wounded during the battalion's Advance to Victory was Private James Merrick. He was transferred to a hospital in England where he died of wounds on the 14th October. He was 19 years of age and is buried in Stourbridge Cemetery (P 163) and commemorated on the Stourbridge, St. John's church and St. Joseph's RC school Memorials.