Private Henry Mercer

Private Henry Gray Mercer, 1st/4th ( Border ), Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He died of wounds in France during the ” Advance to Victory” on 4th October 1918, aged 21 in the attack on Fauberg De Paris on the 3rd October.   He had been born in Langton and was the son of George and the late Elizabeth of Langton Kennels, Gavinton. During this attack the Battalion suffered 150 casualties with 21 killed.  He was the brother of John Mercer above and is buried in Proville British Cemetery France. He had joined the Battalion in Egypt before serving in Palestine and then moving to France in April 1918 to help stem the German Spring Offensives.  The artillery had failed to silence some machine gun posts and no progress could be made. Four men led by Jimmy Heron from Melrose went forward and silenced one gun with grenades. All were awarded the Military Medal. ( One of the Officers killed was Lieutenant Fair from Duns). This was the last fight of the War for the Battalion. The photos show Allied troops advancing during the final 100 days of the War.