10th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
George Gerald Merrick was born in 1896 in Stockton on Teme, Worcestershire, son of Edwin Merrick (1864-1927), a gamekeeper, and Fanny Merrick (formerly James) (1871-1907), of Rail Reddings, Alvington, Gloucestershire. Before joining the Army he worked as a cowman at Highgrove Farm, St Briavels.
George attested, at Lydney, on 28 February 1916 for the Somerset Light Infantry as Private 25231. He was immediately placed on the Army Reserve. On 10 April 1916 he was mobilized and, on 13 April 1916, attached to 13th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. Further transfers and postings followed: on 8 May 1916, he transferred to 3/4th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment as Private 4492, placed in a Reserve Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment on 14 November 1916, transferred to the 4th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 13 February 1917, and then, on the same day, posted to 10th Battalion. He served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in 10th (Royal East Kent & West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion TF The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) from 13 February 1917 to 20 June 1917. His entry in the CWGC register for Alvington (St Andrew) Churchyard states that he was wounded at the [2nd] Battle of Gaza. From 21 June 1917 he was at The Buffs Depot, and from there he was posted to 4th Battalion [The Buffs] on 21 August 1917, and it was from this final posting that he was discharged under King’s Regulations para 392 (xvi), unfit for further service on account of wounds, on 8 December 1917. He was issued with a Silver War Badge for services rendered and was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal. He applied for a pension but was refused on the grounds that he was suffering no disability.
George Gerald Merrick died suddenly on 28 October 1920, aged 24 years, and was buried at Alvington (St Andrew) Churchyard. His grave is marked by a standard CWGC headstone.
Researched by Eric Nicholls 4 October 2019