Second Lieutenant Andrew MercerAge: 34 years1881–1915
- Name
- Second Lieutenant Andrew Mercer
- Name prefix
- Second Lieutenant
- Given names
- Andrew
- Surname
- Mercer
Birth | May 24, 1881 19 19 |
Marriage | Edith Elizabeth Frances Binge — View this family |
Birth of a sister | Janet Barclay Mercer July 15, 1883 (Age 2 years) |
Birth of a brother | George Kilgour Barclay Brown Mercer November 19, 1885 (Age 4 years) |
Death of a paternal grandmother | Agnes Dunsyre October 10, 1887 (Age 6 years) |
Birth of a brother | Henry Kilgour “Harry” Mercer January 5, 1888 (Age 6 years) |
Census | April 5, 1891 (Age 9 years) Address: 17a Castle Street, Cupar |
Birth of a sister | Agnes Dunsire Mercer April 9, 1892 (Age 10 years) |
Birth of a sister | Christina Douglas Mercer April 27, 1903 (Age 21 years) |
Birth of a daughter #1 | Janet Edith Mercer 1908 (Age 26 years) |
Birth of a daughter #2 | Emily May Mercer June 22, 1910 (Age 29 years) |
Death | October 22, 1915 (Age 34 years) Note: Wounded in action at Hohenzollern Redoubt, Battle of Loos 13/Oct/1915. Died of wounds at le Touquet, 22/Oct/1915. |
Burial | Cemetery: Etaples Military Cemetery (Grave/Memorial Ref: I.A.12) |
Family with parents |
father |
George Brown Mercer Birth: June 1, 1861 36 42 — Muirhouses, Lochgelly, Fife, Scotland Death: 1951 |
mother |
Janet Barclay Kilgour Birth: June 4, 1861 — Leven, Fife, Scotland Death: 1933 |
Marriage: January 3, 1881 — Bleachfield, Leven, Fife, Scotland |
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5 months himself |
Birth: May 24, 1881 19 19 — Scoonieknowe, Leven, Fife, Scotland Death: October 22, 1915 |
2 years younger sister |
Janet Barclay Mercer Birth: July 15, 1883 22 22 — Bleachfield, Leven, Fife, Scotland Death: |
2 years younger brother |
George Kilgour Barclay Brown Mercer Birth: November 19, 1885 24 24 — Buckhaven, Fife, Scotland Death: |
2 years younger brother |
Henry Kilgour “Harry” Mercer Birth: January 5, 1888 26 26 — Clarkfieldwynd, Leven, Fife, Scotland Death: |
4 years younger sister |
Birth: April 9, 1892 30 30 — Carnock Village, Fife, Scotland Death: July 15, 1940 — Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
11 years younger sister |
Christina Douglas Mercer Birth: April 27, 1903 41 41 — 21 Downieville Crescent, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland Death: |
Family with Edith Elizabeth Frances Binge |
himself |
Birth: May 24, 1881 19 19 — Scoonieknowe, Leven, Fife, Scotland Death: October 22, 1915 |
wife |
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Marriage: — Sanawar, India |
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daughter |
Janet Edith Mercer Birth: 1908 26 21 — Sanawar, India Death: 1987 — London, England |
3 years daughter |
Emily May Mercer Birth: June 22, 1910 29 23 — Sanawar, India Death: March 25, 1996 — Polperro, Cornwall, England |
Census | 1891 Scottish Census - George Brown Mercer and Janet Barclay Kilgour household
440 Cupar / Fife, Book 005, page ?, sched 51 Address: 17a Castle Street, Cupar Number rooms with one or more windows 4
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Death | Wounded in action at Hohenzollern Redoubt, Battle of Loos 13/Oct/1915. Died of wounds at le Touquet, 22/Oct/1915. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note | 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. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note | 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. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note | 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note | 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. (http://www.cwgc.org/) There is also a picture of the cemetery where he is buried. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note | 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shared note | Note from Erica Gregory, grand-daughter of Andrew and Edith:
Granddad had been recalled to fight in Europe and, as soon as they could arrange it, Granny and the girls (Janet and Emily) came over to London in early 1915. As the ship was late in arriving, they missed Granddad’s special leave and he had to go straight back to the front despite missing them. When he was wounded, Granny went over to tend him and was with him to the end. She never recovered from his loss and was quite eccentric thereafter – very loveable though. During the time she spent nursing him, Janet and my mother had to stay in the house of a kindly Police Sergeant in Dover. As she was not allowed to take them over to France, he and his wife offered them accommodation out of the blue. Mum says Granny was eternally grateful but she feels the Policeman and his wife were a trifle relieved when the girls were collected on Granny’s return as they had been brought up in a very free and easy way in the mountains of India and were a trifle adventurous – specially with roof climbing. She would just smile and say no more about it. Granddad was always spoken of with great love and both the girls had adored him, as had Granny. I can feel that love when I think of him now, it was such a strong influence in my childhood. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shared note | Note from Erica Gregory, grand-daughter of Andrew and Edith:
Granddad had been recalled to fight in Europe and, as soon as they could arrange it, Granny and the girls (Janet and Emily) came over to London in early 1915. As the ship was late in arriving, they missed Granddad’s special leave and he had to go straight back to the front despite missing them. When he was wounded, Granny went over to tend him and was with him to the end. She never recovered from his loss and was quite eccentric thereafter – very loveable though. During the time she spent nursing him, Janet and my mother had to stay in the house of a kindly Police Sergeant in Dover. As she was not allowed to take them over to France, he and his wife offered them accommodation out of the blue. Mum says Granny was eternally grateful but she feels the Policeman and his wife were a trifle relieved when the girls were collected on Granny’s return as they had been brought up in a very free and easy way in the mountains of India and were a trifle adventurous – specially with roof climbing. She would just smile and say no more about it. Granddad was always spoken of with great love and both the girls had adored him, as had Granny. I can feel that love when I think of him now, it was such a strong influence in my childhood. |
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