Percy Merriman

Percival H. "Percy" Merriman was a musician and songwriter.

During World War I he served in the 60th Division, Civil Service Rifles. While convalescing, in 1917, he became a member of The Roosters Concert Party,[1] named after Captain G U B Roose, the Commandant of their base in Salonika, Summerhill Camp.[2] They turned professional, made their first radio broadcast in 1923, and operated for another two decades. For them, he wrote sketches and songs, the latter including "Old Comrades Re-Union" (1930).[3]

He appeared as a "castaway" on the BBC Radio programme Desert Island Discs on 17 August 1964.[4]

His son, Eric Merriman was a comedy scriptwriter, writing Beyond Our Ken for Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams.

References

  1. ↑ Knight, Jill (2005). The Civil Service Rifles in the Great War: 'all Bloody Gentlemen'. Leo Cooper Ltd. ISBN 978-1844152537.
  2. ↑ "Roosters". IPS-Compendium. Institute of Professional Sound. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "78 RPM - The Roosters Concert Party - Old Comrades Re-Union - Part 1 / Old Comrades Re-Union - Part 2 - Regal - UK - MR 173". Retrieved 28 July 2014. (note record's label)
  4. ↑ "Desert Island Discs - Castaway : Percy Merriman". BBC Online. BBC. Retrieved 27 July 2014.


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