Harrogate Herald - 17th October 1917

Roll of Honour

Private Merrill, who was for some time in Harrogate in the Military Police and then in the Essex Regiment, was killed instantly on October 1st by a shell whilst at his post on road control duty with the Gloucester Regiment, to which he had been transferred. He was well-known in Harrogate, and is well spoken of by his officer.

W H Breare letter

You know the Misses Horsfall, of Inglethorpe, Prospect Place, I am sure, they have been so good to the boys. I am sorry to hear from Miss Edith Horsfall of the death of another soldier. It seems the parlourmaid who had lived with these ladies for several years, married, on the 23rd of last January, Private George A Merrill, who was well-known and highly regarded in Harrogate. The wedding was from Inglethorpe and at St Peter's Church. I grieve to tell you that on the 1st October Private Merrill fell, as his officer expressed it, "on duty at his post". He was killed instantly by a shell. The officer speaks highly of the dead hero, who was a considerable time in Harrogate, first in the Military Police, then in the Essex Regiment. When killed he was on the road to patrol duty, having been transferred to a Gloucester regiment. I do not relish sending you any tidings but the pleasantest; still, I know you boys would wish to be informed of even the gravest events, and so I tell you this knowing well that you are strong and courageous enough to bear the hardest news. At all events, it gives you opportunity for sympathetic thoughts of your less fortunate brothers and sisters.