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David Mercer (Royal Marines officer)

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Sir David Mercer
Sir David Mercer, 1918
Born1 July 1864
Islington, London
Died1 July 1920 (aged 56)
London, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchRoyal Marines
Years of service1883–1920
RankMajor General
CommandsAdjutant-General Royal Marines (1916–20)
1st Royal Naval Brigade (1915–16)
Battles / warsFirst World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Mentioned in Despatches (2)

Major General Sir David Mercer, KCB (1 July 1864 – 1 July 1920) was a Royal Marines officer who served as Adjutant-General Royal Marines.[1]

Military career

Mercer was commissioned into the Royal Marine Light Infantry in 1883.[2]

He became commander of the 1st Royal Naval Brigade in 1914 and saw action in France before taking part in the Gallipoli landings in June 1915 during the First World War.[2] The plan had been for Mercer to become military governor of Imbros[3] but, after fierce fighting, he was evacuated from Gallipoli in December 1915.[4]

He went on to be Assistant Adjutant-General in September 1911[5] and Adjutant-General Royal Marines in June 1916; however he died in office, from illness contracted while serving in Gallipoli.[6] He was buried in Hamilton Road Cemetery, Deal.[2][7]

Personal life

Mercer married Katherine F. Laurence, who survived him.[7] He died on his 56th birthday of heart failure following an operation.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Obituary: Sir David Mercer". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 2 July 1920. p. 15.
  2. ^ a b c Obituary: Sir David Mercer, Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 10 July 1920
  3. ^ Sellers, p. 148
  4. ^ "Gallipoli 100: Diary Entries From The Front". Forces.tv. 21 April 1915. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Navy List". December 1913. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  6. ^ "Senior Royal Navy appointments" (PDF). Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Mercer, Sir David". CWGC. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

Sources

Military offices
Preceded by Adjutant-General Royal Marines
1916–1920
Succeeded by