William Arthur was the son of Arthur and Eliza (nee Hardman) Mercer, born in Royton in January 1900.
He was the younger brother of Harold Mercer, MM, who served in the Royal Field Artillery, and
of Wallace Mercer.who also served in the Royal Field Artillery from Spring 1915.
Harold was wounded in July 1916, during the Battle of the Somme. He later died, in hospital, in England.
Wallace survived the war to return home to his wife and daughter in Shaw.
William Arthur also had a younger brother Ernest and an older sister Ethel. Another sister, Eliza, who died in infancy,
is interred in the same grave as their brother, Harold.
William Arthur's parents had both been born in Droylsden and in 1891 were married, and still living there, with their baby daughter, Ethel. By 1901 the family were living on Highbarn Rd., in Royton. In the intervening years the brothers, Harold, Wallace and William Arthur had all been born.
Ten years later, in 1911, the youngest member of the family, Ernest, had been born and the family were living at 6, Moss Bank, Queen Street, Shaw. Arthur Mercer senior was recorded as a 'Manager' in the cotton spinning industry. Oldest son Harold was recorded as a clerk and William Arthur as a jobber in the card room.
When William Arthur joined the RFC in January 1918 the family was living at 258, Turf Lane, Royton and he was employed as an apprentice fitter.
His pilot's training was finished and he was commissioned as a 2nd Lientenant in June 1918, by which time the RFC had become the RAF.
According to his log book, he went to France a month later to join No. 8 Squadron as an 'observer'..
In September 1918 he was with No. 2 Squadron.
In February 1919 he was with 'M' flight.
In June 1919 he was with No. 5 Squadron.
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After the war he was de-mobbed in August 1919 and became a machine tool fitter, employed by Platt Brothers. In later life he became a salesman and spent his career travelling the world for Platt's.
He married Elsie Johnson, and they had two children, Jean and Harold, and six grandchildren.
He was a founder of the Royton
Air Training Corps.
Photo ( circa 1915): William Arthur's future wife, Elsie Johnson, with her brothers Frank and Hibbert (in uniform).
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