BORN HULL 1886. SECOND SON OF JAMES WOOD MECK (1855-1938) & CLARA SMITH (1858-1939), OF MELROSE VILLA, PEARSON PARK, HULL. SON OF HAIRDRESSER AND UMBRELLA MAKER, AT 25 PARAGON STREET, HULL. ONE OF SIX CHILDREN. HE HAD FOUR YOUNGER SISTERS, EMILY, LILY, ELSIE AND MAUD. HE MARRIED ETHEL MARY (FALL) IN 1908. EMPLOYED AS A HAIRDRESSER AT 185 HESSLE ROAD.
HE ENLISTED IN BEVERLEY. SERVED AS LANCE CORPORAL, 9TH NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS. KILLED IN ACTION, AT THE SOMME, ON 07/07/1916, AGED 30. HE LEFT £144 IN HIS WILL TO HIS WIDOW AND LEFT A SEVEN YEAR OLD SON JAMES. HIS WIFE ETHEL MARY (FALL) LATER LIVED IN HAREHILLS, LEEDS. HIS BODY WAS NEVER FOUND AND HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL TO THE MISSING. HIS NAME IS ALSO LISTED ON THE HULL GRAMMAR SCHOOL ROLL OF HONOUR.
HIS BROTHER, JAPHETH MEEK, DROWNED ON THE FISHING VESSEL, “YARMOUTH”, ON 08/11/1915, AGED 36.
