Martin John Coucher de Meric

Rear-Admiral Martin John Coucher de Meric, M.V.O. (26 November, 1887 – 11 June, 1943) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He changed his name twice, in a manner that is hard to unravel by looking at his Service Record. It appears that he dropped "John Coucher" from his name c. 1911.

Life & Career

Born in Weymouth, the son of a Fleet Surgeon E. V. de Meric.

De Meric was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 October, 1910.

Though his service record indicates another vessel, it appears that de Meric was appointed Lieutenant in Command of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 98 on 1 May, 1914. He remained in command until 16 March, 1916 when he moved to command T.B. 81. On 16 August, 1916, he left TB. 81 and five days later received an appointment to command the Beagle Class destroyer H.M.S. Wolverine. On 6 January, 1917, de Meric incurred Their Lordships' severe displeasure when the considered that he had failed to obey signals from his superior officer in Hornet when a third destroyer had sighted a U-boat.

De Meric was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 October, 1918.

On 31 December, 1918, de Meric was appointed in command of the destroyer Tormentor.

Awarded an M.V.O., Fourth Class on 8 August, 1920 (gazetted 1 January, 1921) he was appointed in command of the destroyer Westminster on 1 September, 1920.

De Meric was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 August, 1923.

De Meric was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1929.

On 15 October, 1930, de Meric was loaned to the New Zealand government. The loan was expected to last until May, 1931 but he was appointed back to Portsmouth to attend a partial course on 21 April. A second, two-year loan would commence in March, 1931.He left for home in S.S. Rangitata (?) on 12 May, 1933.

In mid-December, 1934, de Meric was hospitalised with Scarlet Fever.

In 1937, the Governor General, Trinidad thanked the Admiralty for de Meric's role in re-establishing "an atmosphere of confidence and goodwill" following the disturbances.

World War II

On 6 April, 1940, de Meric was admitted to H.M.H.S. Amarapoora with an anxiety neurosis, having arrived in a highly excitable condition, anxious about his work and "unsuitable" living quarters. Not having any organic disease, de Meric was granted sick leave. Inexplicably, he was then appointed in temporary command of the armed merchant cruiser Carnarvon Castle, vice Lewis, on 19 May. Perhaps more judiciously, de Meric was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 25 June, 1940 and placed on the Retired List the following day. He continued to work with the Navy, in shore-based roles in support of the Director of Naval Equipment.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by William G. A. Shuttleworth	Captain of H.M. T.B. 98 1 May, 1914 – 16 Mar, 1916	Succeeded by Arthur P. Melsom
Preceded by Astley D. C. Cooper-Key	Captain of H.M. T.B. 81 16 Mar, 1916 – 16 Aug, 1916	Succeeded by Thomas G. Carter
Preceded by Adrian St. V. Keyes	Captain of H.M.S. Wolverine 21 Aug, 1916 – Sep, 1917	Succeeded by Frederick L. Cavaye
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Vehement 26 Sep, 1917 – 3 Nov, 1917	Succeeded by Vernon Hammersley-Heenan
Preceded by Vernon Hammersley-Heenan	Captain of H.M.S. Orpheus 3 Nov, 1917 – 17 May, 1918	Succeeded by Andrew Johnstone
Preceded by Ernest G. H. Du Boulay	Captain of H.M.S. Achates 17 May, 1918 – 31 Dec, 1918	Succeeded by Bernard H. Quinn
Preceded by Percy J. Helyar	Captain of H.M.S. Tormentor 31 Dec, 1918 – 1 Sep, 1920	Succeeded by Maxwell A. C. Ritter
Preceded by Cuthbert P. Blake	Captain of H.M.S. Westminster 1 Sep, 1920 – 29 Nov, 1921	Succeeded by Colin S. Thomson
Preceded by Paul R. B. Stevens	Captain of H.M.S. Newark 8 Jul, 1924 – 22 Sep, 1924	Succeeded by Hugh F. Curry
Preceded by David B. Nicol	Captain of H.M.S. Serapis 14 Nov, 1924 – 9 Jan, 1925	Succeeded by Edward C. Denison
Preceded by James R. C. Cavendish	Captain of H.M.S. Valorous 9 Jan, 1925 – 23 Nov, 1925	Succeeded by John Drinkwater
Preceded by Vernon Hammersley-Heenan	Captain of H.M.S. Trinidad 23 Nov, 1925 – 30 Dec, 1925	Succeeded by John G. Crossley
Preceded by Alexander L. Fletcher	Captain of H.M.S. Versatile 1 May, 1926 – 31 Mar, 1927	Succeeded by Colin S. Thomson
Preceded by Malcolm L. Goldsmith	Captain of H.M.S. Diomede Oct, 1930 – c. Apr, 1931	Succeeded by Fischer B. Watson
Preceded by Geoffrey Blake	Captain of H.M.S. Dunedin 5 Apr, 1932 – Aug, 1933	Succeeded by Fischer B. Watson
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Apollo 2 Sep, 1935 – 19 Oct, 1938	Succeeded by Robert R. Stewart as Captain of H.M.A.S. Hobart
Preceded by Stuart S. Bonham-Carter	Assistant Director of Naval Equipment 1 Dec, 1938 – 18 Sep, 1939	Succeeded by ?