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 42:
Pte. Richard Mercer to William and Georgina Mercer
- September 25, 1918
Tilloy-les-Hermanville, France
France
Sept 25/1918[254]
Dear Father & Mother:-
Received your welcome letters dated Aug 12 and 24th. I wrote you
a couple of days ago so have not much news this time. I am quite
well and having a fair[255]
time. Have not heard from Uncle Henry for some time. I expect
the letters have gone astray. I am getting my mail a little better
now thank goodness. I am glad you gave me advice on Julia and myself[256].
I really wasn't very serious when I told you that. I just wanted
to hear what you thought. I heard after Julia is not going to England,
at least not yet. Yes, I will write Uncle when I want money or anything.
It is much quicker and I will let you know. Glad to hear Leicester[257]
has been discharged from Army. I will try and see Harry P.[258]
while on leave if possible. I expect to get it is about a month or
so. I will have my photo taken while there. There is no chance
here. Very glad you are enjoying yourselves now and then. It is the
only way. Must close now. Hoping you are both quite well and
not worrying too much.
Your Loving Son
Rich
911016 R.W. Mercer
Footnotes
[254] It is Wednesday at Tilloy-les-Hermanville
and the day's activities were quiet for 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun
Brigade. However, the following edited status report from the Brigade
outlines the next few days of activity: "Instructions were received
as contained in M.G.G. 21/400 of September 20, 1918 that this Unit was
to furnish four batteries for an initial M.G. Barrage to be fired by 24
batteries of machine guns from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd Bns., C.M.M.G., and 1st
and 2nd C.M.M.G. Brigades. On completion of the firing program, the
batteries were to be withdrawn and this Brigade was to come into Corps
Reserve. B.W. Instructions No. 1 of September 25th advised that the
Canadian Corps on "Z" Day would take part in a general advance in order
that the left flank of the 3rd Army might be protected, Brutinel's Brigade
consisting of the 1st and 2nd C.M.M.G. Brigades, C.L.H., 2 Sections, Trench
Mortars, C.C. Battalion, with a Battery of the 251st Brigade, R.F.A. was
to cross the Canal de L'ESCAUT in the vicinity of CAMBRAI and exploit success
along the CAMBRIA-IWNY-VALENCIENNES Road. In accordance with the above
instructions and information, "A", "B", "C" and "E" Batteries left TILLOY
- LENS-HERMANVILLE at 5:00 P.M.. September 26th and reported to Major
W.T. Trench, M.C., Group Commander, at N.24.b.7.7., Headquarters with "D"
battery, Armoured Cars and Trench Mortars left TILLOY-LES-HERMANVILLE at
6:30 P.M. and concentrated at N.16.c.0.0. The transport of the Barrage
Batteries returned to the location after having taken personnel and guns
to barrage positions, with orders to report back at Zero plus 3 1/2 hours.
Two officers with motorcycles, Lieut. J.R. Francis and Lieut. J.E. Hipwell
were detailed for duty as Liaison Officers between Headquarters, Brutinel's
Brigade and the 1st C.M.M.G. Brigade and between 1st C.M.M.G. and nearby
Infantry Units. All Batteries had their complement of telephones etc.,
for maintaining communication with Report Centre. 10,000 rounds of S.A.A.
were carried for each gun, also the complete establishment of Flares, Bombs,
etc." This action is part of the Battle of Canal du Nord. "The
Canal du Nord was another daunting obstacle. Bristling with machine
guns and barbed wire, the fortification on the other side of the canal
were protected not only by the forty-foot wide canal but also by swampy
marshes that funnelled any attack into a natural killing ground. …
the Canadian front was quiet until 27 September. " P.199.
No Place to Run, The Canadian Corps and Gas Warfare in the First World
War - Tim Cook
[255]
One can speculate on the importance of the term "fair" and the physical
and mental state of Pte. Mercer at this time. A soldier is said to
have only some much "courage" that is “spent” with each battle. After
being in action since April 1917 and being wounded twice already, this
soldier may be coming to the limits of his physical and mental endurance.
The war also appears to be coming to an end and many soldiers were now
worried they might get killed or seriously wounded during the final days
of the war.
[256]
It is speculation there may have been a possible romantic connection between
Pte. Mercer and "Julia" from Wawota, Saskatchewan. In 1920 he married
Salborg Solvason from Wynyard, Saskatchewan. Salborg was an Icelandic
school teacher at Theodore School when she met and later married
Richard Mercer the newly appointed Postmaster for Theodore, Saskatchewan.
[257]
"Leicester" is the former Sargent E.J. Leicester with the Winnipeg Grenadiers
at Vimy Ridge. He was an accountant with the Union Bank at Melfort,
Saskatchewan and was likely a working friend of Pte. Mercer. More
research is planned on Sargent E.J. Leicester.
[258]
No information is currently available on who is "Harry P."
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