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 6:
Pte. Richard Mercer to William and Georgina Mercer
- December 13, 1916
Brighton Sanatorium, Brighton, Sussex, England
Brighton Sanatorium[42]
Brighton
Dec 13/16
Dear Father & Mother:-
You will be surprised to hear that I am in a hospital with the measles[43]
again. I have been in here since last Friday night and am feeling
fine. I was only in bed one day. Quite a number of our fellows
got them and the whole Camp[44]
is quarantined. I am having a very good time here and I think they
will give me six days leave[45]
when I get out. I think I will go and see Uncle Henry[46]
at Yorkshire and also Liverpool this time. I haven't much to say
this time.
With Love
Rich
Footnotes
[42] This was an isolation hospital
in England. A significant number of troops were affected by measles
during the confined Atlantic voyage.
[43]
Pte. Richard Mercer is now affected by German Measles. It does not
appear to be serious but he is quarantined to restrict the spread to other
soldiers in training. At Camp Hughes in Canada, Pte. Richard Mercer
was also treated for Measles.
[44]
The "Camp" would have been Camp Seaford in Sussex, England.
[45]
On 20 December 1916 Pte. Mercer of 196th Western Universities O.S. Battalion
is released from Brighton Hospital after treatment for German Measles.
It is assumed he is granted a short leave before re-joining training.
The 196th Battalion will also be disbanded on 31 December 1916 and he will
be incorporated into the 19th Reserve Battalion prior to final assignment.
Many Canadian battalions were disbanded in England to feed both the Reserve
battalions and then the combat battalions. There are few details
on the 19th Reserve Battalion at this time, other than it was based at
Camp Seaford, Sussex, England and served to complete the initial military
training of the Canadian recruits.
[46]
Uncle Henry Mercer is the brother of William Mercer and uncle to his only
nephew Pte. Mercer. The location in Yorkshire is not known at this
time and represents a move from the family's general residence in the Liverpool-Bolton
area.
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