Offered is a scarce casualty group of campaign medals and plaque to Able Seaman W. P. Merryweather, Nelson Battalion, Royal Naval Division, who was killed in action at the Battle of Ancre on 13 November 1916.

1914 – 15 Star; British War and Victory Medals, all impressed named T.Z. 5181 W.P. MERRYWEATHER. A.B. R.N.V.R. and Memorial Plaque named to WILLIAM PERCY MERRYWEATHER in original wax card cover; medals court mounted for display and come with copies of service records, war diary extracts and Commonwealth War Graves certificate.

Able Seaman William Percy Merryweather was born on 20/9/1886 at Dudley, Killingworth, Northumberland. A coal miner by trade, he enlisted into the Royal Naval Division on 10/6/1915 and was assigned to the 2nd (Hawke) Battalion but on 23/7/1915, transferred to the 3rd Reserve Battalion at Blandford.

On 5/10/1915 he was sent with a draft to the 5th (Nelson) Battalion joining them 21/10/1915 at Gallipoli. The Division was withdrawn in January 1916 moving to Mudros. It embarked from there on 16/5/1916 landing in France 22/5/1916 having arrived in Marseilles on 22 May 1916, disembarking from H.M.T. Ionian.

Merryweather was still with Nelson Battalion on the opening of the Battle of Ancre on 13 November 1916. The Battalion was to form part of the second wave, advancing behind Hawke and Hood Battalions towards German positions before Beaucourt Sur Ancre. They managed to pass the Redoubt, currently under attack by Drake Battalion and advanced upon the Green Line. Here however they came under heavy fire losing half of their men while assaulting the Station road. Merryweather was killed in the fighting and his body, initially not identified, was later buried at the Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel.