Cyril Merry spent most of his adult life in love with Iris, albeit at a distance. But in 1996, they were able to marry. However, their happiness was shortlived
 Cyril in 1955 |
Cyril Merry served as a Senior Shipwright and Vessel Inspector during World War Two. Whilst serving in India, he met Norma. He was 21 and she was 33.
Despite the age difference the couple married in 1946 and the following year returned to England where Norma was to stay with Cyril's parents while he was posted on to Egypt. However all was not well with their relationship from the start and they decided to live apart.
But in 1953 whilst still serving with the army, Cyril met Iris. As soon as he saw her, he thought, "I want to spend the rest of my life with her. We got talking and there was magnetism between us straight away".
Iris, however, already had a daughter and was awaiting a divorce. Cyril and Iris spent some time together in Malta where Cyril had been posted. Before she left for England, Iris said to him "You could be a dad by this time next year". When she came back to England, she contacted Cyril to say that she was, in fact, pregnant. Their situation was impossible. Cyril's wife Norma didn't want a divorce and Cyril was about to be posted to Hong Kong.
 Iris & Michael |
The baby was called Michael, and Iris would send Cyril pictures of him each year. They continued writing to each other, but somehow they just drifted apart. Iris eventually married someone else and had another child.
Cyril returned from Hong Kong in 1964 and went back to live with Norma. They stayed married until she died of cancer in 1993. Cyril tried to contact Iris and Michael the same year. He wrote to the last address he had, but Iris had moved away. "I'd listen to the phone ring and think I wonder if that could be Iris".
But then in 1995 the phone did ring and a voice said, "Hello, this is Michael". Two days later, he met Michael for the first time and also discovered that he was a grand father.
And a day after that he saw Iris for the first time in 37 years. When they met on the steps of St Martin-in-the-Fields, he kissed her on the cheek and said, "I've waited 37 years for that". They held hands and walked in St James' Park.
They eventually got married and were together for 7 years. But their bliss was to be shortlived. Iris fell ill with lung cancer and sadly passed away this year.
