Merlyn John Llewelyn Thomas was born on 11th April 1882 in Camden, London. He was the son of Owen John Thomas and his wife, Rosamund (née Evans), who died soon after his birth. The following year, Owen emigrated to America, leaving Merlyn to be brought up by his grandparents.

Merlyn was a keen cricketer and had seen an advertisement placed by St Audry’s Hospital looking for musicians and sportsmen to become attendants so, he applied for a position there. He was successful and started work at St Audry’s on 15th December 1913 – he soon found himself in the Melton Asylum Cricket team. On 17th November 1914, Merlyn enlisted, joining the 9th Suffolk Regiment who were initially based in Shoreham, Sussex. After many months training, the 9th Suffolks were mobilised and sent to France, arriving in Boulogne at around midnight on 31st August 1915. After a night in camp, they marched to the central station and boarded a train for Montreuil. On arrival, the battalion marched to billets in Alette, a village eight kilometres away. They continued their training there until 21st September, when they received orders to leave. That afternoon, they set off for Bethune, a three-day-march away. Almost as soon as they reached their destination, further orders were received, sending them to the front line to be ready for a planned attack on the German lines in what was to be the Battle of Loos. 

On 26th September, the battalion’s orders were to take part in an advance to capture enemy-held territory. During the fighting, Merlyn was wounded after a gas shell exploded near him. He was taken to 16th General Hospital at Le Treport, before being shipped back to England for treatment on the Hospital Ship Dieppe. He was admitted to Chipstead Hospital, Surrey, on 6th October where he was treated until 2nd November 1915 for the effects of gas.

After Merlyn was discharged from Chipstead Hospital, he was posted to the 10th (Reserve) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and the rest of his war service was spent at home. On 2nd January 1916, Merlyn married Elsie Baker in Nuneaton, Warwickshire and, in the July, he was promoted to Lance Corporal. On 1st September 1916, the 10th (Reserve) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment was renamed 26th Training Battalion and Merlyn was promoted once more, to Corporal. On 2nd November 1918, Merlyn joined the 52nd (Graduated) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment which was a home service and training battalion based in the Norwich, Norfolk. He remained there until the end of the war, when he was discharged on 5th February 1919.

Merlyn had already returned to work at St Audry’s Hospital, resuming on 13th January 1919 and bringing his wife, Elsie, and young family to Suffolk. The family did not remain in Suffolk for long though as, on 5th July 1919, Merlyn was caught “playing in a cricket match at Framlingham while away on sick leave”. At the end of the month, he was told by St Audry’s Hospital that his services were no longer required. Merlyn and Elsie moved back to her home town of Nuneaton and, by 1939, they had moved to Meadows Road, Bedworth, near Coventry, where Merlyn worked as a despatch clerk. Merlyn died in 1947 at the age of sixty-five.