26 Facts About Malcolm Mercer

Major-General Malcolm Smith Mercer was a Canadian general, barrister and art patron who practiced law in Toronto and led the Canadian Contingent, then later the 3rd Canadian Division, during the first two years of the First World War before he was killed in action at Mount Sorrel in Belgium.

Malcolm Mercer demonstrated courage under fire, visiting the front lines on numerous occasions at the height of battle and personally directing his forces in the face of poison gas attacks and heavy shellfire.

The division Malcolm Mercer created and trained remained one of the best units of the Canadian Expeditionary Force under his successor Louis Lipsett and Malcolm Mercer was remembered by the men under his command, many of whom attended his funeral in the aftermath of the Battle of Mount Sorrel.

Malcolm Mercer was born in September 1859 in Etobicoke, a small town to the west of Toronto in Ontario, Canada.

Malcolm Mercer was the third of nine children to Thomas and Mary Mercer and was raised in Delmer and St Catharines.

Malcolm Mercer graduated in 1885 and turned his attention to law, being called to the bar three years later.

Malcolm Mercer established a practice in Toronto and had several partners, forming a highly successful but discreet firm which he managed until 1914.

Malcolm Mercer avoided publicity, moved little in society and in his legal practice preferred to keep his clients out of court, if he could.

Malcolm Mercer was a keen amateur painter himself and was an excellent sportsman who represented Canada and the Canadian Militia in shooting contests both at home and in Britain.

Malcolm Mercer rose steadily through the ranks of the militia, being made an officer in 1885 and a captain in 1891.

In 1903 as a brevet major, Malcolm Mercer led a company to Sault Ste.

In 1911, Malcolm Mercer was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the regiment and in 1913, Malcolm Mercer was aide-de-camp to Defence Minister Sam Hughes during a military tour of Europe, during which he inspected the German Army first-hand and became convinced that war was imminent.

At the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, Malcolm Mercer was amongst those immediately called upon by Hughes to establish and build a Canadian Expeditionary Force.

The next day, Malcolm Mercer's men were directed to attack an escarpment named Mauser Ridge, an operation which failed because French troops ordered to support the Canadian line did not arrive.

Malcolm Mercer himself travelled to the front line to witness the battle and came under fire for the first time before retiring in order to remonstrate with the French officers intended to support him.

Malcolm Mercer was detached from his Brigade and placed in charge of coordinating the mass of small and independent Canadian units which were steadily arriving from Canada.

Byng ordered Malcolm Mercer to make a reconnaissance of the front line and draw up a plan to overrun the more dangerous German positions in a local attack.

Shortly after Malcolm Mercer had arrived in the trenches, a massive German artillery bombardment began, heavy calibre shells destroying trenches and caving in dugouts, killing many Canadian soldiers.

Malcolm Mercer was trapped in a dugout and then stunned by a huge shell burst which wounded most of his staff and the officers of the battalion he was inspecting.

The more badly wounded among the officers were transported to an underground field hospital but Malcolm Mercer was left behind with wounded aide Captain Lynam Gooderham, and so was not present when the hospital was buried by the explosion of four mines which preceded a large-scale German attack.

Malcolm Mercer was buried in a military grave at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, later surmounted with a Commonwealth War Grave headstone.

Malcolm Mercer's funeral was attended by many men of his Division and from his old regiments as well as numerous Canadian and British officers who had worked alongside him.

Malcolm Mercer was posthumously mentioned in dispatches for his courage under fire, the third time he had been so mentioned, and his division was taken over by Major-General Louis Lipsett who was himself killed in action two years later.

Malcolm Mercer is remembered as an efficient and capable organiser who never got the opportunity to demonstrate the tactical nous he had shown in training and exercises.

Malcolm Mercer remains the highest ranking Canadian officer to ever be killed in combat and reportedly by friendly fire.

The General Malcolm Mercer Lodge remains active to this day, meeting at the same Masonic Temple in West Toronto where Malcolm Mercer attended Lodge prior to the war.