David Mercer (Royal Marines officer)

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]

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
Commands heldAdjutant-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)

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. "Obituary: Sir David Mercer". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 2 July 1920. p. 15.
  2. 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. "Mercer, Sir David". CWGC. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

Sources
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir William Nicholls		 Adjutant-General Royal Marines
1916–1920		 Succeeded by
Gunning Campbell
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