My name is Herbert Frederick Rivers Merrick and I was born in 1896 in Walworth, London. My mother, Maud, and my father, William, were both 31 at the time of my birth. My father worked in the furniture trade, but my mother spent her days at home with me. Stoke Newington where we were then lving had strong links with chair making. I had an older brother William, and a younger sister, Maude. My brother later worked as a chair maker, following after my father, and I worked briefly as a clerk to Messrs J. Bliss and Sons, Solicitors, High Wycombe immediately prior to my enlistment. We had moved to High Wycombe by then and we lived along Cromewell Road. At the time of my death my parents had moved to 'Pinions' on the London Road on the outskirts of Wycombe Marsh so I am remembered on the Wycombe Marsh war memorial.
I enlisted sometime in 1914. I originally joined the Territorials. Then I became Private 2154 of the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry. While in France I was recommended for a commission by a Divisional General and after training at Cadet School in France I became a Lieutenant. I then came back to England and was sent to the Berkshire Regiment. I wasn't immediately attached to the regiment I later died for, but we merged and I was later attached to the 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment about 10 months after enlisting.
I was later wounded on 25th September 1915, at the Battle of Loos, during the action at Bois Grenier and Pietre. According to the record of the 8th division, “The attack was conceived as an adjunct to the Battle of Loos. The aim was 'to capture about 1200 yards of the German front line system opposite the re-entrant and link them up with our own line at the Well Farm and Le Bridoux salients, thereby both shortening and strengthening our position'.” We began by bombarding the Germans by six 18 pounder guns, and the attack was to be underway by 04:25. Many smoke shells were fired to cover our advance, but the wind blew them away, making them useless. My regiment, the 2nd Royal Berks, were to attack down the centre between 4:25 to 6:30. During the assault, our company was picked up in a spotlight, and we came under heavy fire while forming up.
I had recovered by 1917 to see combat at Arras, sadly my last. Arras was the largest advance since trench warfare had begun, and was an allied assault on the German held town of Arras. It was a bloody battle, and I was killed in action on the 3rd May 1917. I was 21 at the time of death. Initially I was simply reported as missing in action and it was some months before my death was finally confirmed.
