Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Named after his father, Mervyn Frederick, Mervyn was born in Derby, in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia on the 25th July 1911. Mervyn Jnr’s grandfather was Joseph Blythe, a Kimberley pioneer, who landed at Derby, well before there was a landing jetty, with his family at the time of the Hall's Creek gold rush.
Mervyn’s mother, Janet Mary had several other children including Harold Frederick and Freida. Mervyn Snr owned a third share in stations in the West Kimberleys in Western Australia. He pioneered what came to be known as Mount House Station for his father, Joseph Blythe, building the first house and taking the first herd of cattle to the Station. Janet went to Kimberley in 1907, and left in 1918 as Mount House at the time was not suitable for a woman and family to live, being over 200 miles from Derby, through the ranges. Consequently, a new house was built for Janet and the children at Fairfield Station, over 100 miles from Derby and 16 miles from the Wingina Gorge.
Typical of the era, people gave generously of their time and creativity to organise activities for fundraising. One such event was to raise funds for the Moora Anglican Church Fund in September ’13, where two-year-old Mervyn dressed as Boy Blue, won a prize for his efforts in the children’s fancy dress event.
Mervyn was just seven when his 35-year-old father died on April 29th 1919 of pneumonic influenza in St Kilda. Janet and the family soon then moved to South Australia, living in Prospect. Both Mervyn and Harold attended St Peter’s College on Hackney Street.
Young Mervyn continued to return to Western Australia to have holiday time with his uncle, Roland Blythe, at Dunsborough and enjoying fishing for schnapper off Meelup in a small rowboat. The pair unwittingly became witnesses to a missing body floating on the sea in June ‘23, assuming it was a large bird, but being reliant on rowing, did not go and investigate. Further investigation supported that the sighting was possibly one of the men from the ill-fated steamer, Trevessa which took on water, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.
Post school, Mervyn initially represented The Queensland Insurance Co on Eyre Peninsula, but at the end of ’39 took up a position with the Australian Alliance Assurance Company in Adelaide as an Insurance Clerk. In April ’40 Mervyn acted on his father’s behalf when he walked his younger sister, Freida, down the aisle for her marriage to Keith Scott of Prospect. Just weeks later, Mervyn was best man for his younger brother, Harold Frederick in the St Peter’s College Chapel.
However, by July that year, Mervyn enlisted in Adelaide, becoming SX7603 and placed in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion where he was soon promoted to Acting Corporal. He was the next to marry on the 2nd August ’40 to Gwendoline Eva Mackay.
Despite being newly married, Harold also soon enlisted in the RAAF as 140075 on the 21st October ’40 while Mervyn was on pre-embarkation leave. The 2/48th Battalion was soon sailing on the Stratheden on the 17th November and arrived in the Middle East on the 7th December. By the following January Mervyn was promoted to the rank of Corporal, despite developing a frustrating ear infection (Otis media).
Conditions at the time were primitive and the men were surrounded by dust, heat, flies, rats and under almost constant bombardment. In an attempt to destroy morale, the men were bombarded with leaflets urging them to surrender from their conditions where they were living in dugouts ‘like rats’. The opposite effect eventuated, with the soldiers adopting the title Rats of Tobruk as a badge of honour, and which over the ensuing years was spoken with pride and the men held in high regard.
Unfortunately, Mervyn’s health continued to deteriorate, and he was soon diagnosed with Da Costa’s syndrome where symptoms associated with fatigue, shortness of breath and heart palpitations were discovered. (At times this was called ‘soldier’s heart and was particularly prevalent during WWI.) Following hospitalisation, Mervyn was able to rejoin his battalion before eventually joining the Depot Battalion, classified as ‘fit for duties other than active service with field formations’.
By March ’43 Mervyn left the Middle East in a hospital ship to return to Australia via Melbourne and thence to Wayville. Following leave, he was finally discharged on the 12th June. In May ’47 Gwen and Mervyn welcomed their daughter, Hetty. They were active participants as stall holders at fetes run as fundraisers for her school, Girton College.
Mervyn also continued to financially support local initiatives, including the construction of a swimming pool in the Mt Barker area.
62-year-old Mervyn died on the 28th October ’73 and is buried in the Centennial Park Cemetery, Plot Acacia C, Path CA, Site 115. A plaque honouring his service is also in the Garden of Remembrance, as is one for his brother, Harold. 70-year-old Gwendoline died in August ’82 and her remains are in her Mackay family plot at Payneham.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.