Merton Seymour Pepper

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Tue, 27/10/2015 - 10:06

First Name:

Merton

Middle Name:

Seymour

Last Name:

Pepper

Mother's Name:

Rebecca nee Tory

Father's Name:

Charles Pepper

Date Enlisted:

Tuesday, August 15, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Corporal

Unit:

19th Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Wednesday, June 5, 1918

Place of Death:

France

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Details:

Merton Pepper (Service No 6372) was born in Berry, N.S.W. around 1895. Merton was the youngest of 4 brothers who enlisted on the same day, and the only one who did not come home.

Merton enlisted when he was 21 years old; he was single, and worked as an assistant bodymaker. He had also served 3 years in the CMF.

Merton embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A29 Suevic with 18th Reinforcements, 19th Battalion on 11th November 1916, and arrived in England on 30th January 1917, just as his brothers, Thomas, Harry & Wallace, were leaving Australia.

He was deployed to 9 Platoon, C Company, in France on 3rd July 1917 and served on the Western Front. Merton was admitted to hospital on 31st July 1917 suffering face abrasions but returned to his unit in Belgium on 14th November 1917.

On 1st May 1918 he was promoted to Corporal.

At about 4 am on 5th June 1918 Merton was in the trenches near Morlincourt waiting to attack when a shell exploded and he was killed.

He is buried in Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Plot IV, Row O, Grave 6.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, PEPPER MERTON SEYMOUR