Andrew Mercer

(1881 - 1915)

Full Name: Andrew Mercer

Born:

	Date: 24/May/1881
	Place: Scoonieknowe, Leven, Fife, Scotland

Marriage:

	Spouse: Edith Binge
	Place: Sanawar, India

Addresses:

1891: 17a Castle Street, Cupar, Fife, Scotland

Military Records:

	Rank: Second Lieutenant (promoted from Sergeant on 17/Sep/1915.)
	Regiment: 42nd Regiment - The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
	Awards: DCM and various awards for service in South Africa.

Died:

	Age: 34
	Wounded in action at Hohenzollern Redoubt, Battle of Loos 13/Oct/1915.
	Died of wounds at le Touquet, 22/Oct/1915.

Buried:

Etaples Military Cemetery (Grave/Memorial Ref: I.A.12)

Andrew Mercer wrote letters from the front line in WW1. From them I was able to identify his record at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. (Click here for external link to CWGC record.) There is also a picture of the cemetery where he is buried (click "certificate").

(MH)

The "Chronicles of Fife" have no record of a DCM for 2nd Lieutenant A. Mercer, 1st Battalion. However there is a DCM listed for Sergeant A. Mercer, 2nd Battalion.

In 1914, 1st battalion was stationed in Aldershot and 2nd battalion in India. Both battalions were transferred to France at the outbreak of war, but 2nd battalion moved to Mesopotamia before the action at the Hohenzollern Redoubt.

In his letters, Andrew talks about gaining his commission on 21/Sep/1915. We therefore suppose that he won the DCM as a Sergeant with the 2nd, then transferred to the 1st.

Extracts from "The Royal Highland Regiment - Black Watch 42nd - 73rd Medal Roll 1801-1911" 2nd Battalion The Black Watch, South African Medals and Clasps. 1st April 1901, 1st Oct 1902. p231

	Regtl No	7144
	Rank	Pte
	Name	Mercer, A
	Remarks	none (blank)
	Paardeberg	1
	Wittebergen	1
	Cape Colony	1
	Transvaal	1
	S. Africa 1901	1
	S. Africa 1902	1
	Right to King's South Africa Medal	Yes

Extracts from " History of the Black Watch in the Great War, Volume 1" by A.G.Wauchope.

p118: Record of Officer's Services

	Name	Mercer, A.
	Rank	2nd Lieut.
	Record	Commissioned from ranks, after 16 years 8 mths service, 17.9.15, Wounded, 13.10.15, Died of Wounds at le Touquet, 22.10.15
	Actions at which present	Loos '15, Hohenzollern Redoubt '15
	Promotions and Regtl Appts	Nil

p150: List of those "Mentioned in Dispatches"

	2nd Lieut. A. Mercer

p337: 2nd Battalion, list of those receiving DCM

	Sgt. A. Mercer

Sanawar, India.
Marriage place of Andrew Mercer and Edith Binge

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