20611 Gunner Samuel John Meyrick, RGA

20611 Gunner Samuel John Meyrick was killed in action on 3rd July 1917. According to Soldiers Died in the Great War, he was born at Knighton, Radnorshire and was living at Bucknell in Staffordshire when he enlisted. This is probably an error. There is a Bucknall in Staffordshire but a Bucknell in Shropshire. This latter location would appear to tie in more with Samuel's place of birth and I assuming this is where he was living.

The FreeBMD Birth Index 1837-1915 on Ancestry, indicates that Samuel Meyrick's birth was registered at Knighton in the first quarter of 1886.

Samuel's medal index card indicates that he was entitled to the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He arrived in France on 25th September 1914 and, as an 'Old Contemptible' he would also have been entitled to receive the clasp for his 1914 Star. His army service number additionally indicates that he'd been in the army for some while and had joined up between June and August 1904. He enlisted at Devizes in Wiltshire.

Unless he enlisted for a period of 12 years with the Colours (Long Service), his terms of enlistment in 1904 would have been three years with the Colours and nine years on the Reserve. So unless he'd actually extended his period of service between 1904 and 1907, Samuel Meyrick would have been on the reserve for around seven years when war was declared. Given his arrival date in France some seven weeks after war was declared, I think he probably was a reservist.

Samuel is buried in Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery; grave ref IV.D.19 and The Commonwealth War Graves Commission additionally notes that he was serving with the 6th Siege Battery.

Although he was born in Knighton, Samuel Meyrick's name does not appear on the town war memorial. It's possible that he is included on the war memorial in Bucknell and a memorial hall was built in the village after the 1914-1918 War.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:
Ancestry.co.uk (FreeBMD, Medal index card)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great war 1914-1919