Horace Watkiss Merrington, Age 33

Private, 285268, 10th Battalion, Welsh Regiment.

Welsh Regiment Cap Badge.

Horace was born in Dawley but was living at Ketley where he worked as a pupil teacher before he enlisted into the Herefordshire Regiment (4997).

He had at some point been transferred to the Welsh Regiment and whilst serving with them was killed in action on the first day (31st July 1917) of the third battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) and his body is interned in a little cemetery amongst farm land just outside Ypres.

The Cemetery is called No Mans Cot and lies in what was no-man’s-land during that first day, Horace is buried in grave A 24.

Extra info:
Horace’s family was living at Old Park in 1881, Horace was Christened Horace Watkiss Merrington on the 3rd of April 1884 at Dawley-Magna, Shropshire, his mother’s maiden name being Watkiss, they were still living in Dawley when Horace’s brother Enoch was born in 1888, in the 1891 census the family had moved and was living at The Pear Tree Bridge Inn, Ketley.

Horace’s father Thomas William Merrington died on the 28th of July 1893 and his mother Rebecca, tuck over the pub.

In 1901 the family was still living at The Pear Tree Bridge Inn; Horace’s mother was the Licensed Victualler and Horace’s occupation was a Pupil Teacher in an Elementary School.

In the 1911 census they are still living at the pub but Horace’s occupation is now an assistant surveyor.

Horace enlisted at Wellington, Salop, and had two regimental numbers with the Herefordshire Regiment 4997 and 236920, he later was moved to the 10th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, number 285268.

WWI Medal Rolls Index Card

Commonwealth War Graves
Buried No Man's Cot Cemetery

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Victory Medal	British War Medal