Menin Gate Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
One of 9 children, all of whom survived, John Merrigan was the eldest of 5 sons and 4 daughters born to William Merrigan and Sarah Armour Pounder. William originated from Whitehaven, Cumberland, where he was born in 1869, however, by the age of 2-years had been brought to the north east by his parents who settled at 117, Tottenham Road, Coundon, County Durham. He was already working at the colliery as a driver aged 12 years and in 1891, just prior to his marriage at South Shields, County Durham, to Sarah born at Haswell Moor in 1873, as a coal miner. Their marriage entry lists William under the surname Morrigan.
John Merrigan was born in 1893 at Harton Colliery as were his sister Ann and brother William in 1895 and June 17th 1897 respectively. Between 1897 and 1900 the family had moved to Felling, Gateshead, County Durham before the birth of Catherine. They had transferred to 6a, Victoria Street, Dunston by 1901 where William Merrigan was employed at the colliery and where daughter Mary Jane was born in 1902. The family left Dunston as William’s search for work took him to Trimdon where he was employed at the foundry and his wife gave birth to their son Patrick in 1903. Over the next 9 years they moved between Trimdon and Sedgefield and had a further 3 children, Robert in 1906, Margaret 1909 and James 1910. In 1911 they were living in 4 rooms at 10, Reading Room Row, Trimdon, County Durham. William, a coal hewer had been joined at the colliery by John (17) employed as a putter and William Jnr (15) a driver, Catherine (11), Mary Jane (9), Patrick (8) and Robert (5) were scholars, Margaret (2) remained in the care of her mother.
When war was declared in August 1914 John was one of the first to enlist at Langley Park, County Durham and sent to the depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland where the new recruits were dispersed between the Durham Light Infantry and the Northumberland Fusiliers. He was assigned as Private 2504 Durham Light Infantry and posted to the 1/8th Battalion. Whilst the Territorials of the battalion patrolled the coast between Roker and Whitburn the remainder of the men over the next 9 months were trained at Boldon, Ravensworth and Newcastle for service overseas. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Turnbull of Chester-le-Street the battalion departed from Newcastle railway station, April 19th 1915 for France. Within days without any nursery training they were fighting in the mud-filled trenches of the Ypres salient in Belgium during the Second Battle of Ypres, subjected to heavy shelling and gas attacks.
Within 6 days of his arrival at the front Private 2504 John Merrigan was reported as missing which must have been a huge shock to his family. After extensive investigations as to his whereabouts he was struck off, deemed to have been killed in action, April 26th 1915. His sacrifice is recorded as one of over 54,000 names inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Ypres, Belgium, commemorating men from Britain and the Commonwealth who perished on the salient before August 16th 1917 and have no known grave or whose remains have been impossible to retrieve. Private 2504 John Merrigan Durham Light Infantry was 21 years of age and single.
His father William received all monies due to him and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to him at 34, Hillside, Witton Gilbert, County Durham.
William Merrigan died in 1924 aged 54, registered in the district of Chester-le-Street, County Durham. Details as regards Sarah Amour Merrigan nee Pounder as yet unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Merrigan is remembered at Esh Laude on E73.01, and possibly as W. Merrigan at Langley Park on L64.01 and as W. Merrican on L73.02
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 99 and in the Battalion History page 253
