Gunner Robert Hill Mercer

CEF no. 42351

Robert Mercer enlisted on 25 September 1914, just a month into the First World War. He was born in London, ON, on 4 June 1880, and lived there with his wife Mabel. He had steady work as an express driver, but his willingness to fight was unsurprising considering his prior military experience in the 3^rd Special Service Battalion of the RCR, 26^th Middlesex Regiment, and 7^th Fusiliers Regiment. He enlisted with the 8^th Battery, 3^rd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, and was posted to France with the 12^th Batt. While in service, his son was born. They would never meet, as Gunner Mercer died of a gunshot wound to the leg on 27 April 1915.

He is commemorated on page 28 of the First World War Book of Remembrance (Memorial Chamber, Peace Tower, Parliament Hill).

Grave: Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery, Belgium.

Commemorated on: family grave, Mount Pleasant Cemetery, London ON.

Family Grave, London, ON
Photograph by Kyle Lariviere, 2017.