REPORTED LOST

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 66, 19 March 1942, Page 8

REPORTED LOST

LIEUT. A. I. MERRITT AUCKLAND NAVAL OFFICER Advice has been received that Lieutenant Alexander lan Merritu R.N.. youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. H. G. Mcrritt, of Papatx etoc, has been lost on active service. Lieutenant Merritt. who was 24 years of age. was born in Auckland and educated at Clifton College, England. He took a prominent part in athletics and was a member of the school cricket eleven. He was also a member of the Rugby college team which won the public schools' championship in England in lO'.'S, and was a constant scorer. He was also a swimmer and boxer, and did well scholastically.

In 10,'1G Lieutenant Mcrritt entered the navy, joining 11.M.5. Frobisher as a cadet. He served as a midshipman and sub-lieutenant on ijie cruiser Sussex from January, 103 S. and was posted as lieutenant to the destroyer Wishart in the Mediterranean on the outbreak of war m September. 1039. He was mcnticncd in dispatches and returned to England in August, 19-11, to tske a submarine course. He was serving on Submarine H3l and was reported missing just before his - iih birthday. The loss of H3l was of!, cin liy announced in London on January 24 last. Lieutenant Merritt, on his return to Lngland last August, married M.'SS Denyse Chad, only daughter of Brigadier and Mrs. T. E. Chad, of Frcshfield, Lancashire, and Gibraltar. The ceremony tcok place at the Holy 1 rinity Church, Formbv Liverpool. A brother. Lieutenant F. R. Merritt. R.X.Y.R., in command of H.M.M.L. 232. recently reported missing, is now reported safe and well. Two other brothers. Lieutenant H. G. C. Merritt. late of the Indian Army, and at present serving in the Heavy Brigade of the Roval Armoti'-ed Corps, and Lieutenant*X j F-, ; H. Merritt. cf the _Royal Xor-1 toii<s, aie both at present servin°" v.'itn their regiments. °