1st CMMGB: Pte RW Mercer - Letters from the Great War
1st Canadian
Motor Machine Gun Brigade
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Pte. Richard William Mercer
Personal Letters from the Great
War: 1915 - 1919
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Letter 34:
Pte. Richard Mercer to William and Georgina Mercer
- March 3, 1918
Vimy Ridge Area, Verdrel, France
France
Mch 3rd 1918[204]
Dear Father & Mother:-
Was very pleased to receive your two letters dated Jan 19 & 22.
I got them while in the line[205]
a few days ago but we are out for a few days rest at present. I think
it must be about a week since I wrote you. Am getting along fine.
I suppose by this time you will have heard from Halsalls[206],
Jones & Uncle telling you about my seeing them. We have been
having lovely weather up till to-day and it is raining and awful cold.
Have not heard from Walter for a long time. The last time he wrote
me he said he was expecting to go on leave. I think he is quite alright
though. I hear now that all the men who have taken up a years medicine[207]
are going back to Canada to finish their training. I don't know if
Walter will go or not. I only wish I had taken it. Will write
again very soon.
Your Loving Son
Rich
911016 R.W. Mercer
Footnotes
[204] A few days before, the Borden
war diary notes on 28 February 1918 the weather was Fine in the Verdrel/Vimy
Ridge area of France. "As arranged, Lieut.-Col. F.A. Wilkins, M.C. O.C.
Canadian Corps Motor M.G. Brigade and Major W.F. Battersby, M.C. met Capt.
W.C. Nicholson, M.C. at T.3.6 Emplacement, after inspecting the Emplacement,
instructions were given that it should be reconstructed flush with the
ground making it necessary for gun to be fired from the top of the emplacement,
it was found to be under ground observations." So Pte. Richard
W. Mercer was probably busy de-constructing a lot of recently completed
work and starting over.
[205]
Pte. Mercer is in the Verdrel area of France and in the Vimy Ridge sector.
[206]
This is Bess Halsalls from the Liverpool area, a very good friend of Georgina
Mercer. Bess sent several packages to Pte. Mercer and he also stayed
with them, or visited with them while on military leave.
[207]
Pte. Walter Wylie had completed his first year of Medicine prior to enlisting.
After the Great War he completed his medical degree and later moved to
Ontario to practice. The whereabouts of the Wylie family descendents
are unknown at this time.
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