Richard MERCER

‘Burnley Express’ (8 May 1915)

(Kindly supplied by the website: Burnley in the Great War)

WOUNDED AT HILL 60

BURNLEY SOLDIER HIT IN A CHARGE

Pte. Richard Mercer (13291), of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, whose home is at 33, Berry-street, Burnley, was wounded in the charge on Hill 60 on April 18th, and now lies in the 4th Northern General Hospital, Lincoln.

In a letter received on Wednesday by his relatives, he says:–“I am doing very nicely, but it will be a bit before I shall be able to walk. You should see me hopping about on one leg, but I cannot do so much. It was my company that did the charge on Hill 60 on Sunday night, April 18th, between six and eight. Then it was that I got wounded. It was awful to see and hear the wounded. I shall be better able to describe it when I came home. I hope it won’t be long, but I can’t say. I was surprised when I went to the glass to shave. I have gone as grey as a man about 60, but I don’t feel any worse just now. Before I came to England I was in a Canadian hospital.”

Pte. Mercer, who is 38 years of age, has been a soldier practically all his life. He has served 13 years with the Loyal North Lancashires, with the colours and on the reserve, and has also been in the Royal Artillery. In the South African War he saw service under Lord Methuen. When the present war broke out he enlisted in the Duke of Wellington’s, and is suffering now from a gun-shot wound in the right foot.

‘Burnley Express’ (12 August 1916)

(Kindly supplied by the website: Burnley in the Great War)

WOUNDED AND MISSING

Mr. John Mercer, of 33, Berry-street, Spring Hill, Burnley, is anxiously awaiting news of his son, Pte. Richard Mercer, of the Northumberland Fusiliers, who after an adventurous Army career, is now believed to be wounded and missing. His father has heard nothing from him since near the end of June, and a letter sent to him on the 6th of July has been returned with the endorsement “Wounded.” His father has been unable to learn anything as to his being in hospital either in France or in this country, and naturally fears worse news.

Pte. Mercer, who is 39 years of age, is an old campaigner. He joined the Royal Artillery as a very young man, and after remaining in this for twelve months, served thirteen years in the Loyal North Lancashire Regt. During this time he was with Lord Methuen in the South African War. He formerly worked with his father at Berry and Smith’s brickworks, Healey Wood, and when the present war started was employed at the Barnoldswick brickworks. He immediately enlisted in the Duke of Wellington’s Regt., and had a terrible experience with that battalion in the desperate fighting at Hill 60 in April of last year. Here he fought for 48 hours at a stretch, and got wounded in the charge which his regiment made on Sunday night, April 18th, sustaining a gun-shot wound in the right foot. On recovering he was drafted into the Northumberland Fusiliers, and was in the heavy fighting at the beginning of our big offensive which started on July 1st.

‘Burnley Express’ (14 October 1916)

(Kindly supplied by the website: Burnley in the Great War)

OUR FALLEN HEROES

WENT THROUGH BOER WAR

LONG ARMY CAREER

Previously reported wounded and missing, word has now been received of the death in action, on July 1st, of Pte. Richard Mercer, 24995, Northumberland Fusiliers. His father, lives at 33, Berry-street, Burnley. Nothing had been heard from him since the end of June, and a letter sent to him on the 6th July was returned endorsed “wounded.”

Pte. Mercer, who was 39 years of age, and single, was an old campaigner. He joined the Royal Artillery as a very young man, and after remaining in this for twelve months, served thirteen years in the Loyal North Lancashire Regt. During this time he was with Lord Methuen in the South African War. He formerly worked with his father at Berry and Smith’s brickworks, Healey Wood, and when the present war started was employed at the Barnoldswick brickworks. He immediately enlisted in the Duke of Wellington’s Regt. and had a terrible experience with that battalion in the desperate fighting at Hill 60 in April last year. Here he fought for 48 hours at a stretch, and got wounded in the charge which his regiment made on Sunday night, April 18th, sustaining a gun-shot wound in the right foot. On recovering he was drafted into the Northumberland Fusiliers, and was in the heavy fighting at the beginning of our big offensive which started on July 1st, and was killed the first day.

He was connected with St. Paul’s Church. A brother-in-law was killed last May, in France.

A letter from Co.-Quartermaster-Sergeant Hall says “He was a very good soldier, and I used to like him very much. I have been on the battlefield to see if I could find his grave, but I could not do so. It was like hell on earth as we went over.”