Mervyn was born 10 August 1918 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Son of George and May Eva McNeil (nee Goldsworthy) of Auckland.

After initial training in New Zealand, Mervyn embarked for training in England in August 1940.  He completed his training at the RAF 15 O.T.U. at Harwell, Berkshire, then posted to 218 Sqdn at Marham, Norfolk.  While there was injured and then posted to 27 O.T.U. at Lichfield, Staffordshire 

He died on Saturday, 1 August 1942

His aircraft, Wellington Ic bomber DV552 "UY?-N", took off from Fradley (Lichfield) at 23:41 on the night of 31 July 1942.  After they had completed this raid on Düsseldorf, the bomber was attacked by Lt H-W Schnaufer of II/NJG1 at 03:17 and crashed on fire at about 03:30 in a fruit tree garden at Huldenberg, Belgium.  The aircraft broke up when it hit the ground, with one of the wings flying through the air and the engines breaking off.  At least one or possibly two of the crew attempted to escape from the stricken bomber, but the aircraft was too low.

He and the rest of the crew presumably perished in or before the crash.