1st CMMGB: Pte RW Mercer - Letters from the Great War
1st Canadian
Motor Machine Gun Brigade
|
Pte. Richard William Mercer
Personal Letters from the Great
War: 1915 - 1919
|
Previous Letter
Letter 40:
Pte. Richard Mercer to William and Georgina Mercer
- September 9, 1918
Maiziéres, France
France Sept 9/18[244]
Dear Father & Mother:-
Have not received a letter from you for a some time but expect they
will all come together. I wrote you the other day while in the trenches.
We are out again now for a little rest. I am feeling very well and
hope to go on leave again in about a month or so. Have received no
word from Walter since he was wounded[245]
but presume he is alright. Hope he has made Blighty.
I couldn't catch a Blighty this last time in the line[246]
although there were plenty flying around[247].
Oh say I might not have much money to go on leave with this time so don't
be surprised if I draw on you while in London. I most likely won't
but I thought I would tell you in case. Must close now.
With love
Your loving Son
Rich
911016 R.W. Mercer
Footnotes
[244] Pte. Richard Mercer’s reference
to “the trenches” is a misnomer. The Number 2 Group, Canadian Independent
Force, which included the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, has been
involved in heavy fighting since 1 September 1918. On this
day the Brigade is located at Maizieres, France. This is part of “The Last
100 Days” in which the Canadian Corps played a major offensive role in
the ending of the Great War in 1918. The battles have changed from static
trench warfare to open field attacks and mobile fronts. The highly
mobile 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, with full access to very
rare wireless communication, becomes a very important element in applying
unrestricted pressure on the German army as battles retreat eastward away
from the trenches.
[245]
Pte. Walter Wylie was wounded on 18 August 1918 with the 46th Battalion.
He received multiple gunshot wounds to the buttocks and scalp. Pte. Wylie
has since been discharged from the 7th General (Hospital) at Trouville
and is at Reinforcement Depot at Etaples, France.
[246]
Edited Narrative of Operations, Group No. 2, Canadian Independent Force,
2 Sept 1918: “At 5:00 A.M. No. 2 Group concentrated on the NEUVILLE-VITASSE-WANCOURT
Road, Units in the following order - 4 Light Armoured Cars, Canadian Corps
Cyclist Battalion, "E" Battery, 1st C.M.M.G. Bde., 1 Battery Trench Mortars,
C.D.A., "A", "B", and "C" Batteries, 1st C.M.M.G. Bde., Headquarters and
M.T. Vehicles, 1st C.M.M.G. Bde., head of column at N.23.a.6.2. At 7:30
a.m. the column as above, moved up through WANCOURT and GUEHAPPE and halted
with the head of the column at G.13b7.7 just off the CAMBRIA Road..
At 10:15 A.M. verbal orders were issued for No. 2 Group to take the lead.
Before sending out my Officers Patrols I asked the O.C. leading Group for
information re the situation forward. His armoured Cars had reported VILLERS
occupied by the enemy. At 10:30 A.M. Officers Patrols were ordered to go
forward and ascertain exact position of forward infantry. Officers
Patrols reported that infantry was held up by machine gun fire which was
coming from the direction of the cemetery at V.4.b.8.9. At 10:45 A.M. "E"
Battery with two platoons, Cyclists was ordered to take up positions in
P.33.b and d. astride the CAMBRIA Road in front of the 72nd Battalion,
which was in trenches at P.33.a. Machine gun and artillery fire were met
with at this point. This Battery, ably commanded by Captain Worthington,
caught numbers of the enemy infantry in the open, the Battery also engaged
some enemy gun limbers concealed behind trees and the horses were seen
to stampede. At 11:00 A.M. 2 Light Armoured Cars were ordered to proceed
down the road to reconnoitre and fire on any targets which presented themselves.
They returned about 11:20 A.M. and reported having fired on groups of the
enemy at V.3 central and z.35. central. They were unable to reach
the cross roads as fallen trees blocked the road at about P.35b.
A platoon of Cyclists was ordered forward to clear this obstruction.
This was accomplished before noon. These Units advanced with great determination
and before handing over had penetrated to a depth of 2000 yards into the
enemy's territory. This persistent pushing forward of this Battery
would have undoubtedly have some bearing on the enemy's decision to retire
during the night to his defences on the Canal. At 11:25 A.M. one Section
of Trench Mortars was ordered to advance to P.33.b and fire on P.34a.,
P.34.c and buildings at P.34.d. Fire was brought to bear as instructed
with good results. Enemy infantry was dispersed and buildings in
P.34.d were hit repeatedly. Heavy machine gun fire and some artillery
fire were directed at the Trench Mortar lorries during this operation.
At 11:35 A.M. two Heavy Armoured Cars were ordered to go forward to obtain
information regarding the enemy's movements. Both these cars received
direct hits when returning about 12:45 P.M. and were destroyed by fire.
At 1:30 P.M. two Light Armoured Cars were ordered forward to reconnoitre,
the two Heavy Cars having been destroyed. At approx. 3:00 P.M. two Tanks
came up the right of the road. They were subjected to heavy artillery
fire from the left flank and both received direct hits when in P.34.d and
W.4b. and were put out of action. One of our Light Armoured Cars
was also hit about this time and put out of action after having done good
work on the track on right side of CAMBRAI Road at about P.34.c.3.5. twenty
German dead were counted, all from our fire. Enemy aircraft very audacious
with apparently small opposition from our aircraft. Twenty enemy
machines came over twice and fired M.G. into our troops and dropped egg
bombs. Very little artillery assistance seemed available at this
period. At 3:15 P.M. "D" Battery reported whizz-bang Battery very active
in P.29.b.4.3. They also reported that the enemy was massing presumably
for counter attack in trenches on our left at approx. P.28.d. and Z.34.a.
Three guns of the Left Half Battery were immediately withdrawn to positions
south of the road at P.34.c.0.9. to P.34.c.2.8. This attack did not
materialize. The Left Half of "E" Battery and all of "D" Battery
were subjected to heavy machine gun and artillery fire during the afternoon
but did very work in engaging enemy artillery and groups of enemy infantry
and machine gunners. At 4:15 P.M. approx. a Trench Mortar Lorry received
a direct hit from a shell while standing on the road at P.34.a. 0.0.
After burning a short time it blew up and was completely destroyed. At
8:45 P.M. instructions received for all elements of the 2nd Group less
30th Battery, C.F.A. to withdraw to COJNUL VALLEY, 1st C.M.M.G. Bds. To
be in support to the 1st Division. At 9:00 P.M. Orders issued to all Units
to withdraw (see appendix 14) contact with the 8th Battalion, 1st Division
was obtained by Lieut. Wilson, Cyclist Battalion at P.34.C.1.2 at 8:30
P.M. approx. Line was handed over to Lieut. Smellie of the 8th Battalion
at 9:30 P.M. Unit were withdrawn in the following order, "D" Battery and
Cyclists, "E" Battery and Cyclists, "A" Battery and Cyclists, and proceeded
to COJEUL VALLEY as instructed the last unit arriving at approx. 2:30 A.M/,
34d inst. 1:45 A.M., 3rd inst. message re withdrawal of No. 2 Group and
message re vehicles forwarded from WANCOURT. "
[247]
About one-quarter of the Canadian Corps casualties occurred during the
final "One Hundred Days" when the Corps served as "the point of the spear”.
As an indirect indication of the ferocity of battle, there were 7 Victoria
Crosses awarded to Canadians on 1-2 September 1918.
Return to the Table of Contents
Return to the 6th
Brigade Canadian Machine Gun Corps Contents Page
Copyright © 2003 Dwight
G. Mercer All Rights Reserved