Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Trooper

Unit:

1st Battalion, Special Air Service Regiment, British Army

Awarded on:

November 8th, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Trooper

Unit:

1st Battalion, Special Air Service Regiment, British Army

Awarded on:

January 31st, 1945

Awarded for:

Operation Titanic I

Citation:
"On the night 5/6 June 1944 Tpr. Merryweather landed by parachute with a party of 2 Officers and 3 OR’s about 15 miles South of the Cherbourg Peninsula. The party dropped within enemy lines with the task of distracting the Germans from a large scale airborne operation by American Forces to the North. They were told they could expect to be overrun by American troops within 9 days. They waited for six weeks and were captured while trying to reach Allied lines on the 17 July 44. During this period the endured very considerable hardship and danger. They were constantly hunted by the enemy who despatched a Coy. of troops for the purpose. Because they moved at night and had to be constantly about about during the day, they got almost no rest. During the last 3 weeks they lived almost exclusively off raw vegetables. They were seldom over 200 yards from Germans and as the area was packed with enemy troops they were subject to constant shellfire from our guns. They accomplished much valuable sabotage work. Some 8 times Tpr. Merryweather volunteered to accompany an Officer on sabotage expeditions. In the darkness they passed Germans often at 30 yards, several times fired upon. Four times for food they entered a farmhouse partly occupied by Germans. Once they went 10 miles to collect two escaped American P.O.W’s one so wounded that he had to be carried. Despite the acute nervous and physical strain Tpr. Merryweather showed exemplary fortitude and courage which contributed inestimably to the moral of the party. His determination and audacity were of the highest quality.”