William Merrill 1894-1916

Soldiers' Effects from Ancestry - showing his mother as sole legatee

Born: July/August 1894
Baptised: 15th August 1894 at St Georges Church Barnsley

Son of: 
James Luther Merrill a coalminer and Sarah Merrill of 11 Gladstone Terrace Barnsley
Both his parents and his eldest sister, Annie, were born in Sheffield but by 1876 the family had moved to Barnsley where he and all his other siblings were born.

Position in family: William was the ninth of ten children:
1.    Annie born abt.  1874
2.    Fred   born  abt. 1876
3.    Ellen   born  abt. 1881
4.    Louisa born abt. 1884
5.    James born abt.  1885
6.    Thomas born abt. 1887 KILLED WW1
7.    George born abt. 1888  SERVED WW1 Army Veterinary Corps, died in 1933
8.    Ernest born abt. 1891  KILLED WW1
9.    William born 1894  KILLED WW1
10.  Elsie born abt.1897
Home address, age and occupation:
The family had moved from Sheffield to Barnsley by 1876 and lived at:
1881 19 Fleming Street
1891   3 Silver Street
1901   Pall Mall  (this is the first recorded address for William)
1911   11 Gladstone Terrace (the address on enlistment in 1915 when William was a pit labourer at Monk Bretton Colliery. 

He was unmarried.

Military Service:
Enlisted: 1915 at the age of 20 and was a private in the Kings Own Light Infantry, 9th BattalionService No. 20083. He received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Death:     1st July 1916 aged 21
CWGC Remembered: Thiepval Memorial: Pier & Face 11C & 12A.

Remembered:
Barnsley, St George's memorial plaque

Notes:

Sarah Merrill, his mother, received a war gratuity of £2.15s.10d.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission 
Lives of the First World War

Further information is available on request.