Home  |   Great War Roll of Honour  |   Second World War Roll of Honour  |   Great War Roll of Service  |   Links  |   Contact

Private Ulric Graham MARRYAT (895312)
4th Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps Date of birth: 7th August 1887 Date of death: 25th November 1949 Died aged 62 Buried at Alix Cemetery, Alberta
Ulric Graham Marryat was born at "Oakfield", Horley in Surrey on the 7th of August 1887 the third son of Lieutenant Colonel Ernest Lindsay Marryat, Royal Engineers, and Elizabeth (nee Graham) Marryat later of “Stonecross”, Limpsfield and of 41 Earls Court Square. He was christened at Christ Church, Salfords, Horley on the 8th of September 1887. He was educated at Hazelwood School until December 1897 when he left to be educated privately. On completing his education he served with the London Rifle Brigade for two years. He sailed from Liverpool on board the SS “Canada” on the 11th of May 1905 bound for Canada where his father had retired to a farm at Haunted Lakes, near Alix in Alberta. He was married to Katherine Bethune (nee Robertson) and had two sons, Dennis Ewart, born on the 25th of July 1912, and Peter Ramsay, born in Devon in 1914. He enlisted as Private 895312 in the 191st Battalion, Canadian Infantry (South Alberta) at Alix on the 2nd of August 1916. At a medical examination, which was held on the same day, it was recorded that he was five feet eight inches tall, that he weighed 150lbs and that he had a fair complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. On completion of his training he embarked for England at Halifax on the 28th of March 1917 on board the SS “Sapnonia" and disembarked at Liverpool on the 7th of April 1917. He was posted to the 21st (Reserve) Battalion based at Bramshott on the 27th of April 1917. He joined the 50th Battalion, Canadian Infantry in the field in France on the 21st of June 1917 and was attached to the 4th Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps on the 16th of April 1918, joining them in the field on the 1st of May 1918. He was admitted to 3rd Canadian Field Ambulance with a septic throat on the 25th of June 1918 and returned to duty three days later. He was taken ill again on the 28th of June 1918. He was granted leave to the UK from the 7th to the 28th of August 1918. On the night of the 31st of August 1918 the 4th battalion Canadian Machine Gun Corps took over positions from the 2nd Battalion at Triangle Wood near Vis en Artois. The next day was spent in preparation with the battalion's positions coming under enemy shell fire. At 7pm eight guns from M Battery fired ten belts of ammunition to good effect in support of the 72nd Battalion Canadian Infantry when they were counterattacked by enemy infantry. During the day the battalion suffered thirty six casualties. At 5am on the morning of the 2nd of September 1918 the attack began with a heavy artillery bombardment to clear the way for the infantry. The 4th Battalion was in support of the 12th Battalion Canadian Infantry who led the way with the machine gunners moving forward at the same time in close support. They took up positions in the area of the Hendecourt - Dury Road with Company Headquarters being established near the junction with the Arras - Cambrai Road. Casualties for the day's fighting were one officer killed with two officers wounded and eight other ranks killed with seventy seven other ranks wounded. The fighting continued the following day and the battalion was relieved on the evening of the 5th of September. Ulric Marryat was wounded in the left knee by shrapnel on the 2nd of September 1918 and was evacuated to a Casualty Clearing Station and then to 55 General Hospital at Boulogne later the following day. He was admitted to the General Military Hospital at Colchester on the 7th of September where his wounds were described as: - "Penetrating wound, just below and behind left knee". He was transferred to the Canadian Military Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom on the 20th of September 1918. He was discharged and returned to duty at the 3rd Canadian Command Depot at Seaford on the 28th of October 1918 with a report which read: - "Wounds healed. No adhesions, leg strong - all movement of knee good. No disability". He was declared as being fit for general service on the 18th of November and joined the Canadian Machine Gun Depot the following day. He embarked for Canada on the 7th of December and disembarked at Halifax on board the SS "Olympic" on the 14th of December 1918 and posted to the Casualty Company at Calgary on the 20th of December. He was granted leave with subsistence on the 4th of January 1919 and was discharged from the army at District Depot No. 13 at Calgary on the 16th of January 1919 At the end of the war he returned to work on the family farm.