TOPIC:

Henry Herbert Jackson, Edward Merritt, Albert Reeves & Albert William Robinson were all born and raised in Smethwick (located between Birmingham & the Black Country) but when they attested in Birmingham, between May 1898 & October 1899 they were all assigned to the Durham Light Infantry and had to travel 200 miles up to Newcastle-upon-Tyne to join their comrades in arms. They were all to serve in the 1st Battalion during the Second Boer War (1899-1902).

In the report of his 1915 funeral we are told Edward Merritt came from a “highly respected Smethwick family” who were active supporters of Smethwick’s oldest church, unimaginatively named The Old Church. His father, Benjamin was actually born in Cornwall but he had married Smethwick born Mary Jane Mould in Smethwick in 1870 and Edward was the fifth of their ten children, all born in Smethwick. Census returns show Benjamin was a white collar work, a “manufacturer’s clerk” in 1891 – I suspect his place of employment was the Cornwall Works of the Cornish born Tangye brothers, located in Smethwick despite its name. Edward attended Corbett Street Infants School followed by the Smethwick Board School in Crockett’s Lane – from the admission registers of both we know Edward was born on October 19th, 1877.

Albert Reeves came from an equally large family but this time he was the tenth of ten children, again all born in Smethwick. Neither of his parents were locals, his father, Samuel being born in St Helen’s in Lancashire and his mother, Sarah Pettifor in St Neot’s in Huntingdonshire. Their 1862 Birmingham marriage record gives the clue as to why Samuel had moved from Lancashire to Smethwick as his occupation was given as “Glassmaker” – St Helen’s = Pilkington’s, Smethwick = Chance’s, both major glass-making firms at the time. Census returns indicate Samuel was a blue-collar work as each time the word “labourer” is involved in his occupation. Samuel passed away in 1894 but Sarah impresses as a lady worthy of admiration. She was obviously very proud of Albert serving his Queen & Country as she shared the content of four letters Albert wrote home with the editor of the local newspaper, the Smethwick Telephone. Also the 1901 census shows in the absence of Albert she provided a home for a soldier invalided home from the Boer War. Albert can also be found on the Admission Register for Corbett Street Infants School which gives his date of birth as December 29th, 1880.

Albert William Robinson & Henry Herbert Jackson both had parents born in the Midlands if not Smethwick and both their fathers were blue collar workers, with Albert’s being a labourer but Henry’s does seem to have had a more responsible job being a “stationary engine driver”. There is some doubt about when these two men were born. Weighing the available evidence it would appear that Albert William was almost certainly born in May 1880 and Henry Herbert a month later.

Participation in the Second Boer War, October 11th, 1899 - May 31st, 1902

Fully tracking the military history of all four Smethwick men is made problematic by the paperwork for Albert Reeve’s being missing in action and Albert William Robinson’s being badly damaged and faded. One can say with certainty that Albert William Robinson claimed no previous military experience when he attested but Edward Merritt had previously been a member of the 4th Militia Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment and Henry Herbert Jackson a member of the 5th Militia Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Both these militia battalions were to eventually see service in the Second Boer War so if both men had merely wanted to see South Africa they could have stayed at home for longer.

The following information can be gleaned from their service records and the medal rolls of the 1st DLI:



We don’t know for certain the location or date Albert Reeves attested but his regimental number makes it almost certain he attested in the last fortnight of October 1898. The DLI seems to have taken on a large number of new recruits in October 1898. The reason for this might have lain in what the 2nd Battalion had experienced in the preceding months – they were stationed in Poona in India where enteric fever was reported to be “rife” resulting in “many deaths” including that of Lieutenant John Murray Davies of the 1st DLI who died on August 30th 1898. A week later it was reported Lieutenant Lang, who had commanded the firing party at the funeral of Lieutenant Davies, had been hospitalised suffering from enteric fever.

Once again there are issues with the ages given on their attestation papers – we apparently have three self-confessed teenagers all making a medium term commitment to be a soldier by signing up for 7 years active service followed by 5 in reserve. However from Smethwick School Registers we know Edward Merritt was born on October 19th, 1877 making Edward actually 21y 11m when he attested, why he knocked 2 years off is a bit of a mystery – that the DLI were only recruiting teenagers at the time seems very unlikely? From the Corbett Street School admission register of 1888 we know Albert Reeves was born on 29th December 1880 and this is confirmed by the age he gave on the 1921 Census return. So if his attestation papers had survived his age should have been given as 18y 9m. The available evidence indicates Henry Herbert told the truth but Albert Willaim added on 6 months for no apparent reason.

The above information shows that 6363 Jackson & 6541 Reeves were amongst the 882 men of the 1st Battalion of the DLI who left Southampton for South Africa on October 24th, 1899 aboard the Cephalonia. We can say with absolute certainty Albert was only 18 years and 10 months old at the time.

According to Albert Reeve’s first letter home the voyage to Durban (via Cape Town) took 30 days. Once disembarked the 1st DLI along with the 2nd Scottish Rifles, 1st Rifle Brigade, and 3rd King's Royal Rifles formed the 4th Infantry Brigade under the command of Major General N G Lyttelton. The Brigade became part of the column led by Sir Redvers Buller intent on relieving the township of Ladysmith.

Extracts from Albert Reeves first two letters home appeared in the Smethwick Telephone of 6th January 1900. The first is undated but was probably written about the time of disembarkation. The second was started a few days later on November 27th, 1899 by when they had reached the Mooi River some 90 miles inland from Durban. For the second letter to make chronological sense it must have been written in stages over a number of days and I suspect the twice reported “Dear mother” represents the start of an addition to the original letter. Even so it shows the Battalion experienced direct contact with the enemy within a few weeks of disembarking even if Albert did not consider they were yet in the “firing line”.

DYING FOR A SMOKE

Private Reeves, Durham Light Infantry, has written a couple of letters to his mother, who resides in Harding Street, Smethwick since his arrival in South Africa. He mentions that the journey from England to Durban took thirty days, and that on the journey they were “very near starving”, for they “only got dog biscuits for breakfast and tea, Sunday and all”. He also asks his brother to send him some “fags” as he is “almost dying for a smoke and I could not get one here for 1s”. In his second letter from Mooi River Camp on November 27th he writes:- “I am in the best of health and with plenty of spirits. You could not believe we were on the battlefield if you could see us. We are as jolly as the days are long. And we are anxious to get in the fighting line and get it all over. I don’t think it will last much longer now. We have caught about a dozen of the enemy and they say they are starving – they can’t get anything to eat. Dear mother, the Boers started shelling our camp last Friday. They fired 14 shells in our camp but there was only one killed of the Devon Regiment; they would not burst. We soon got our guns on them and put them to flight and we have not seen them since. Dear mother, we have got to go to Escourt tomorrow and then go on to Ladysmith. I expect in a week’s time we shall be in the thick of the battle, but it can’t last very long. We have been treated very good since we landed at Durban. All along the line there were people giving us tobacco and fags. We could not get any further than Mooi River on account of the railway being blown up, but the Engineers have repaired it and we shall start at 3 o’clock in the morning.”

At the Battle of Colenso on 15th December 1899 the 4th Brigade were held in reserve and did not suffer the carnage experienced by other Imperial Troops.

The next letter extract appeared in the Smethwick Telephone of 31st March but the letter was dated February 12th 1900 and written at Chieveley, 30 miles closer to Ladysmith:

NO BREAD FOR 32 DAYS

Private A. Reeves, of the Durham Light Infantry, in a letter to his mother, who resides in Harding Street, Smethwick, writing from Chieveley camp under date of February 12th says that his regiment charged a hill at the point of the bayonet and lost a lot of men – about 18 killed and 70 or 80 wounded. He adds – “I had some narrow escapes myself , for bullets were dropping all around me, and we were under heavy rifle fire and shell fire for four days and I was glad when we were relieved. We got bread today for the first time for 32 days. Having lived on ship biscuits and bully beef.”

The Unit Information given on this site identifies the action Albert was describing: “it was not until 5th February, when called on to storm Vaal Krantz, that the Durhams knew what it was to be under a hail of shells and bullets. Their final charge that day was carried through in a way worthy of the battalion. The words of Sir Redvers Buller are, "The men would not be denied". Their losses were heavy: 2 officers and 12 men killed, 6 officers, including Colonel Fitzgerald, and 76 men wounded.”



Extracts from Albert’s next letter were quoted a week later in the Smethwick Telephone of April 7th, 1900.

A NARROW ESCAPE

Private A. Reeves, of the Durham Light infantry. Writing from Middleburg Lager on February 22nd to his mother, who resides in Harding Street, Smethwick, says – “We had another victory on Sunday, fighting from 4 a.m. in the morning until about 6 p.m. at night. We got a good position off the Boers and captured their camp. When we got to the top of the hill we had a lively 10 minutes looting. They left all their things behind in their hurry to get out of it. I got a rifle which I sold for 25s next day to chap in the Artillery. We have only had bread three times since January 10th; I could do with a bit of home-baked now for a treat. I don’t think I will get shot now after Sunday’s work. We advanced under a perfect hail of bullets, and one went clean through the sleeve of my coat, but it did no damage – just skimmed my arm, took the skin off, but it did not hurt. We are only about 8 miles from Ladysmith now and expect to have it relieved next week. We are under heavy rifle fire now, and I have to keep ducking down, as the bullets are whistling all around us. We are refusing £2 for the Queen’s gift of chocolate . . . . There is only one thing we are short of, that is tobacco and “fags”. We have to pay as much as 2s. for a packet of “fags” and you can sell a pipe full of tobacco for 1s. Very dear out here.

The ”victory on Sunday” described by Albert occurred on February 18th, 1900 and the Unit Information on this site again allows identification of the encounter: “On the 18th the battalion and the 1st Rifle Brigade attacked and carried the ridge between Monte Cristo and Green Hill, and losing no time, captured the Boer laager.”

Was Albert’s prediction, written on 22nd February 1900, that they would relieve Ladysmith “next week” correct? – as Ladysmith was officially relieved on 1st March 1900 I think we can give him full marks on the matter.

The Unit Information on this site tells us that: “The 4th Brigade were on the left in the final assault on the 27th. The battalion's losses during the fourteen days [13th – 27th February] were approximately 2 men killed and 51 wounded.

“Six officers and 13 men of the [1st DLI] were mentioned in despatches for good work in the relief [of Ladysmith] operations, 3 men getting the distinguished conduct medal, — another man of the Mounted Infantry got that medal for excellent work at Alleman's Nek,—and in General Buller's final despatch 12 officers were mentioned.”

Now is a good time to consider the soldier Albert’s mother provided a home for on March 31st, 1901. His name was Albert Henry Buckerfield and interestingly he was also a member of the 4th Brigade as he served as Corporal 5431 in the 3rd Battalion of the King’s Royal Riffles. In a letter home to a work colleague he reported his left foot had stopped a Boer bullet on 23rd February and, although he was awarded the RoL clasp, he never made it to Ladysmith as he was residing in the 11th Brigade Hospital on the 1st March and was subsequently invalided home on 16th June 1900.

Having made a significant contribution to the Relief of Ladysmith the 1st DLI continued north with Buller’s column and were involved at Laing’s Nek in early June 1900. By this time the numbers of Smethwickians involved had increased by one as Albert William Robinson also received the Laing’s Nek clasp along with Henry Herbert Jackson & Albert Reeve. Unfortunately the state of his service records only allows a very rough estimate to be made of his arrival in South Africa as a draft but he cannot have joined up with the 1st Battalion very long before June 1900.

For whatever reason no more of Albert’s letters home appeared in the Smethwick Telephone. He must have left South Africa before the end of 1901 as he never earned the SA 1902 clasp. He possibly travelled home with Henry Herbert Jackson whose surviving service records show he stepped foot again on English soil on January 6th, 1902. Why they went home early is not known, both, having only completed less than 4 years of their signed up for 7 years of active service were definitely not time expired, and notes on Medal Rolls do not indicate either was invalided home.


Edward Merritt’s service records show he sailed for South Africa on September 7th 1900 and thus would not have caught up with the 1st Battalion until their time in the Transvaal and probably in time to wish Herbert Henry Jackson & Albert Reeve bon voyage home.

Again the Unit Information on this site tells us: “After the entry into the Transvaal the history of the battalion was not very stirring. Like the remainder of the brigade, they were chiefly employed on the Natal - Pretoria Railway, and in column work from the railway line towards the Orange River Colony.”

Edward Merritt left South Africa before the end of the conflict when he was transferred to India on March 19th 1902. His service records credit him with 1 year 194 days service in South Africa although if you subtracted his journey out to South Africa he would have been at least a day or two short of the “eighteen months’ war service” required to qualify for the King’s South Africa Medal which the medal roll, dated 30th April 1904, shows he subsequently received.


Albert William Robinson’s damaged service records include a several pages of medical records from which it can be learned his war ended somewhat differently. He spent from April 22nd 1902 to June 2nd 1902 in No.14 General Hospital at Newcastle suffering from enteric fever. He was then invalided home on the HS Dunera and subsequently spent from July 3rd to July 21st 1902 in the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley. He then spent the next month on sick furlough in “Birmingham” (which in actuality was probably Smethwick where his family still lived) before rejoining his unit on home service.


Life after the Second Boer War

By the end of 1902 these four, still young, Smethwickians during their combined 16 years of army service had spent between them just over 5 years helping to defeat the rebellious Boer Republics. But all four still had time to serve before becoming free of commitment to the army. So here is what happened next:

Henry Herbert Jackson – by the end of 1902 Henry was serving in India as part of the 2nd Battalion DLI – he had sailed to India on October 28th 1902 and was to remain there for 3 years setting foot on the soil of England again on 24th November 1905. When he was discharged to the Army Reserve on August 28th 1907 it was actually 9 years and 5 months since he had attested on 10th May 1898. What I failed to mention when I introduced Henry was that he had forfeited all his early service up to August 18th 1899 when he was convicted of desertion. His original prison sentence of 112 days was subsequently considerably reduced to allow him to go out to South Africa on October 24th 1899. Henry remained a Private for all his 9 years and 5 months of active service and the end to his active service was also troublesome. On May 17th 1906 he was convicted of “Disobeying a Lawful Command” and sentenced to 56 days imprisonment which was subsequently reduced by a paltry 4 days. 50 days after he returned to duty he was discharged to the Army Reserve on August 27th 1906 by when the Army considered he had completed 7 years of active service. He can be found on the 1911 Census, still a single man and working as a barman in The Acorn Inn in Lichfield. 10 years later he was still working as a barman at the Acorn Inn and his age given on the return shows he did tell the truth regarding his age when he attested. There are at least half a dozen men who answered to the name “Henry H Jackson” who served in the Great War but as service records have not survived for any of them it is impossible to say if any of them were our man especially as none served in the Durham Light Infantry. He married an Emily Brittain in Birmingham in 1932 at the age of 53, Emily was year younger. He passed away in Birmingham in 1963 aged 83.

Albert Reeves – the lack of army service records means we don’t know whether he served in India following the Boer War. The 7 years of active service he signed up for should have ended in October 1905 and in October 1910 he should have been fully discharged. The 1911 Census found him living in the family home of 42 Harding Street, Smethwick with his widowed mother, Sarah now aged 70 and his eldest brother Charles, 16 years his senior, and an 18 year old niece, Emily Broadfield. Charles was employed as a “labourer” but Albert had followed in his father’s footsteps and was working at the local glass works of Chance Brothers. We do know with certainty that Albert returned to service in the Durham Light Infantry at the start of the Great War and was posted to the Western Front on September 20th, 1914 as a member of the 2nd Battalion, retaining his original regimental number of 6541. The 2nd DLI were heavily involved in the Battle of Armentières during October 1914. Records show that Albert was taken prisoner on the October 20th, 1914, he was not wounded. He served his time in at least three different PoW camps all in the Hanover region – initially at Bohmte near Osnabruck, then Soltau and by October 1917 he was at Hameln (alternatively Hamelin of Pied Piper fame).

An article appeared in the Smethwick Telephone of 27th November 1915 entitled “FAGS FOR SOLDIERS”. It reported that the patrons of the Stork Inn, Harding Street had been holding a weekly collection to provide “comforts” for soldiers. So far 25 parcels had been sent which included 20,000 cigarettes. It then went on to quote acknowledgements that had been received from 3 recipients. The first, written in German, read “My address: 1978, Private A Reeves, 2nd Durham Light Infantry, Barrack VI, Prisoners of War Camp, Bohmte, Germany, District Osnabruck (Hanover). I confirm herewith the receipt of the parcel of cigarettes, 26th September 1915. A Reeves.” Not only written in German but almost certainly written by a German and I doubt very much if Albert ever got to smoke any of the cigarettes.

During the Great War, PoW’s in Germany were generally not treated in accordance with the Hague Convention. The degree of mistreatment was largely determined by the Camp Commandant and there is no evidence that the three camps mentioned above had benign Commandants. The photo below of 4 British PoW’s taken on their release tells the story regarding malnutrition and on top of these beatings were commonplace, forced labour was the norm, and owing to poor sanitation & general conditions outbreaks of disease were frequent with poor medical provision. The present day Hameln Museum has an exhibit regarding the Hameln Great War PoW Camp and their website reports the camp held 10,000 prisoners with the Russians and Serbs separated from the rest. There were two cemeteries associated with the Camp – by the end of the war one held about 1,000 burials, the Russians & Serbs were also separated in death and their cemetery stills holds 757 burials. The British, French & Belgians were all reburied after the war but the Russians & Serbs remain till this day along with two Belgians who seemed to have been overlooked. To quote further from the exhibit “Little is known about the everyday life of the prisoners of war, most of all little about the forced labour performed. ” However, on the positive side it is known the prisoners were allowed to hold concerts and there were visits & inspections carried out by the Red Cross.


British Great War PoW's on their release - source online "Men Behind the Wire" - see end of article for a link.

So Albert was to some degree fortunate to survive his 4 years of incarceration but it must have had a detrimental effect on his health and mental well-being. He was safely back home in Smethwick in early 1919 when he married Smethwick born Leonora Guest. Two years later his mother, the admirable Sarah, passed away. The 1921 Census showed a Reeves still resident at 42 Harding Street, Albert’s eldest brother Charles, but Albert & Leonora were living at 165 Rosefield Road, Smethwick with Leonora’s 65 year old widowed father, also named Albert. Both Albert’s were working for the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company, whose main factory, despite its name, was located in Middlemore Row, Smethwick. Rosefield Road was a better address than Harding Street (which disappeared as a result of 1960’s slum clearance schemes) but it did have a problem – it ran into Watery Lane which joined Smethwick High Street at its lowest point – the worst flood occurred in July 1927 but fortunately Albert & Leonora lived at the higher end of Rosefield Road. Sadly, Albert Reeve did not make his “three score and ten” and passed away in 1938 shortly before his 58th birthday. How much the deprivations he endured during the Second Boer War and the Great War contributed to his premature death can only be speculated at.

Edward Merritt – on 19th March 1902 Edward was posted to India from South Africa. He spent nearly 9 months in India and set foot on English soil on 17th December 1902. He was not discharged to the Army Reserve in October 1906 but had his service extended to 8 years. A year later it was extended to 12 years and in 1911 extended to 21 years. On the 1911 Census he was recorded as residing at the Infantry Barracks, Newcastle-upon-Tyne as a member of the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, DLI. The make-up of the 226 people residing in the Barracks, which included married quarters, was as follows: 6 officers and 143 other ranks, 27 wives (1 of an Officer), 48 children (0 of Officers) and 2 “other” persons (1 male & 1 female). So at the start of the Great War he was still a serving solider and unmarried. His service records show no misdemeanours yet he had remained a Private. His short Great War career is summarised in the following article in the Smethwick Telephone of May 22nd, 1915:

“FOUGHT THE FIGHT”

We regret to announce the death of Mr. Edward Merritt, the fourth son of the late Benjamin Merritt and of Mrs Merritt, 334, High Street. The deceased served for about 17 years in the Durham Light Infantry, and with the regiment went through the South African War, gaining the Queen’s medal and clasps and the King’s medal and clasps. He also saw service in India. When war broke out, probably owing to his physique, which had been considerably weakened by previous service, he remained at the depot at Newcastle for some time and was engaged in drilling recruits of the new Army. In October he went to France with a draft, but fearful conditions at the Front during the winter had a very bad effect on a weakened constitution and he was invalided home with bronchitis. After being in the London Hospital for some time he received his discharge, and was granted a pension by the War Office. Since January he has resided at the residence of his mother, where his death took place somewhat suddenly on Wednesday evening at the age of 38.

The greatest sympathy will be extended to Mrs Merritt and the members of the family.

The funeral will take place at the Smethwick Old Church this (Saturday) morning.

Private Joe Merritt, youngest brother of the deceased is in the 5th Royal Warwicks (Territorial Reserve) and has been in the trenches for the past two months.

This article implies Edward died of bronchitis, at the Medical Board held at the London General Hospital on 14th December 1914 it was determined beyond any doubt that he was suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis. In 1915 there was a social stigma attached to TB to the extent that is was considered the fault of the victim for having lived in insanitary conditions.

Rather incredibly the Medical Board declared that Edward’s illness was “Not the result of ordinary military service, active military service or climate”. Considering the last seventeen years of Edward’s life had been the Army, living in barracks or camps and mixing daily with other soldiers I don’t see how they could make such a statement.

As you will remember when Edward attested in 1898 he lied about his age making himself two years younger than he really was. On the 1911 Census when he was in Army barracks his age was given as 31 when he was actually 33. On the Medical Board report of 14th December 1914 his age was given as 35 when he had actually become 37 in the previous October. Even the Smethwick Telephone did not get it quite right adding a year!

Another article appeared in the Smethwick Telephone of 29th May 1915 entitled “A MILITARY FUNERAL”. It repeated most of the information given in the earlier article but gave no specific cause of death. It added the coffin was draped in a Union Jack and members of local units of the Royal Engineers marched alongside the hearse and acted as coffin bearers. Edward’s name is not listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website although the names of 27 others who died as a result of the Great War and, like Edward, are buried in the churchyard of Smethwick Old Church.

His brother Joe survived the Great War and the occupation details of an older Merritt brother, Thomas on the 1921 Census may be of interest to some Forummers: “Viewer of accessories to the Lewis Gun, Army Inspection Department, Birmingham Small Arms Company, Small Heath, Birmingham”.

Whilst I am going through the four Smethwickians in order of their DLI regimental numbers, readers might have noticed a worrying trend regarding age at death, 83 followed by 57 followed by 37 – I am afraid, as you will see, the trend is a continuing one ending with 27.


Albert William Robinson – He was not posted to India after he recovered from enteric fever and rejoined his unit and served out the remainder of his 7 years of active service at home. During this period he was promoted three times – to Lance Corporal on 12th December 1902, to Corporal during 1903 or 1904 (exact date illegible) and to Lance Sergeant on 20th June 1905. Exactly a month later he was arrested and found guilty at a Regimental Court Martial on 2nd August 1905 of “failing to appear on parade” and reduced to the ranks. Three weeks later on 23rd August 1905 he was transferred to the Army Reserve having completed his 7 years of active service bar a couple of months. His service records also note he died on May 23rd, 1907. The Smethwick Telephone of May 25th, 1907 also reported his death as follows:

An inquest was held yesterday (Friday), concerning the death of Albert William Robinson (27), of Woodlands Street, who died on Thursday morning under singular circumstances. It appears that deceased went for a drive with a party to Kenilworth on Whit-Tuesday, and when he got home complained of feeling unwell. He gradually grew worse, and died as stated on Thursday. Dr Stephen attributed death to meningitis following an acute attack of scarlet fever. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.

Albert William was unmarried when he died and as the 1911 Census shows his married sister and family living in Woodlands Street it seems likely that he spent the last 20 months of his life lodging with them. It would appear that Albert William’s early demise was not attributable to his war service.


As far as I can ascertain none left a legacy in the form of a child but they all had nieces & nephews to inherit their medals. Again as far as I can ascertain none of their medals are extant. Checking the “Medals to the Durham Light Infantry” post on this site there seem to be surprisingly few of them on the market.


Sources of information:

Find My Past & Ancestry

Enhanced membership of FMP allowed online access to Newspapers of the Day which have been digitised – sadly the Smethwick Telephone has not been digitised after 1931.

Hameln Museum

museumhameln.de/dauerausstellung_engl_20...thousand%20prisoners .

“The men behind the wire: British PoWs in the First World War”

the-past.com/feature/the-men-behind-the-...the-first-world-war/


Additions to my to do list: (1) Visit Sandwell Archives to scour the 1938 Smethwick Telephone for a possible report of Albert Reeves death. (2) Visit the churchyard of The Old Church, Smethwick to search for the grave of Edward Merritt and hopefully photograph the headstone. (3) Supply evidence to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to support them listing Edward Merritt, died May 22nd 1915.