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Artillery Help Required

Balleh: Re the corporal/colonel confusion, I thought about trying to say "colonel" in a 14 year old or 80 year old Korean accent to see if it would sound remotely like "corporal".

I had to give up because the only Korean I could think of was Odd Job.
 
Well...

The Royal Sussex Regiment were the last to be stationed in Korea, leaving there in July 1957. GLOSTER MEMORIAL, KOREA, 1957



Maybe the search narrows to either a representative of the RA generally who attended the dedication of the memorial or, just maybe, someone from C Troop, 170th Light (Mortar) Bty.


A bit of interesting reading regarding the chap who wrote the quote above: NDM Patron & Chairman Discuss Ideas - Campaign News


Looks like 170 Bty was in either Hong Kong or NI in 1957, from The Royal Artillery Association › Community Forums › Disbanded Units/OCAs › 45 (Fd) Regt › 45 REGT- 1947-1993 AND BTY HISTORY 52,170,94,34,176,HQ


I'm starting to suspect that the British Military Attache to South Korea in 1957 may be the key to the identity of the officer in the photo. The BMA seems to have been Col AEE Mercer MC... according to: An Almanack...: by Joseph Whitaker, F.S.A., containing an account of the ... - Joseph Whitaker - Google Books

Of course, this may not be relevant...

Hmmm. By 1983, he was a Lt Col. That's curious... http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/bnsj/pdf/bnsj_07.pdf

Now this may just be coincidence, but in July 1959, Major Allan Eric Eustace Mercer was promoted to Lt Col, as shown in The London Gazette: Viewing Page 8230 of Issue 41905

Most significant is that he was badged Royal Artillery.


I'm tempted to suggest that the chap in the photo could well be the then Major Mercer MC RA who, as Military Attache in South Korea, would almost certainly be expected to attend the dedication of the Glosters Memorial. Maybe he was granted an acting Lt Colonelcy.

All we need now is a photo of Maj Mercer to confirm that he looks like a school teacher.


If you're intent on tracing him, the latest reference that I can find dates from 1976: http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/46983/pages/10908/page.pdf

(The solicitors may have separated, possibly with two of them operating in Leeds).

Col Mercer could have had a scholarly touch. I´ve googled his name and he came up twice (besides this thread):
Once with the Britain-Nepal Society, where he has written an article in their journal back in 1983
http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/bnsj/pdf/bnsj_07.pdf, see page 23;

and as a member of the Korean Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society back in 1959.
http://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j...sg=AFQjCNGBL1prPVw0BeIC5AUJTWbv3vPRzg&cad=rja, where he was a secretary.

It might be worthwile to contact these organisations.

He also seemed to have had a collection of Korean pottery, at least an auction at Christie´s points to it.
http://www.abebooks.de/Oriental-Ceramics-Works-Art-Including-Collection/3472033092/bd
 
Col Mercer could have had a scholarly touch. I´ve googled his name and he came up twice (besides this thread):
Once with the Britain-Nepal Society, where he has written an article in their journal back in 1983
http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/bnsj/pdf/bnsj_07.pdf, see page 23;

and as a member of the Korean Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society back in 1959.
http://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=colonel%20aee%20mercer%20mc&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CGQQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raskb.com%2Ftransactions%2FVOL35%2FVol035-O.docx&ei=ksr2T-KcKZKN4gSp6aHiBg&usg=AFQjCNGBL1prPVw0BeIC5AUJTWbv3vPRzg&cad=rja, where he was a secretary.

It might be worthwile to contact these organisations.

He also seemed to have had a collection of Korean pottery, at least an auction at Christie´s points to it.
Oriental Ceramics and Works of Art Including a Collection of Korean Ceramics from the Estate of Lt.-Col. A.E.E. Mercer, O.B.E., M.C. [Christie's, South Kensington: Wednesday, 13 November, 1991; Sale no. 7790] von Christie's, South Kensington: - AbeBo

Your first link also drops the hint that Allan Mercer preferred to be known as Eric Mercer, just to add to the plot.
 
might be worth going to the newspapers about . Sounds like something they would get on board with . Good luck though , would be great if you can track him down
 
This thread is one of the main reasons I hang around this wonderfull website - apart from giving me the opportunity to take the piss. It is fascinating! And all those tossers who carp about ex pats living abroad need to read this thread. We Brits are part of the international development of the world. I don't include the Bangkok Billies of this world. But some of us westerners make impacts on people in developing nations. I wish the Korean chap that the OP introduced to us gets some satisfaction from all the info that is being dredged up here
 
might be worth going to the newspapers about . Sounds like something they would get on board with . Good luck though , would be great if you can track him down

I would send the original picture to the Britain-Nepal Society, maybe somebody there is still in contact with Lt. Col. Mercer´s daughter and / or can identify him from the picture.
 
I would send the original picture to the Britain-Nepal Society, maybe somebody there is still in contact with Lt. Col. Mercer´s daughter and / or can identify him from the picture.

Mr Po has kept these photos for 55 years so they are clearly very precious to him. I feel he would be unhappy not to have them still with him and they might get lost in the post

Send copies - the one posted by Jimmy is pretty good.
 
Quick update: I realised that I had nowhere near enough information so I went back to the post office and called him from there. He turned up almost immediately and I asked him as many questions as I could. The picture was actually taken in 1950/1, which according to Wiki, was the time that the 45th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery were in Korea. The picture was taken in a place called Sin Sa Ri (신사리) and from there many soldiers moved on to Deokseong (덕성) / Ga Mak Mountain (가막산) just north of Seoul. The Corporal in the picture apparently worked in the Command Post and is believed to have been around 26 or 27 at the time. I'm not sure it's important but the soliders there were using the 105mm Gun.
 
Quick update: I realised that I had nowhere near enough information so I went back to the post office and called him from there. He turned up almost immediately and I asked him as many questions as I could. The picture was actually taken in 1950/1, which according to Wiki, was the time that the 45th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery were in Korea. The picture was taken in a place called Sin Sa Ri (신사리) and from there many soldiers moved on to Deokseong (덕성) / Ga Mak Mountain (가막산) just north of Seoul. The Corporal in the picture apparently worked in the Command Post and is believed to have been around 26 or 27 at the time. I'm not sure it's important but the soliders there were using the 105mm Gun.

Jimmy,

Are you sure the Brit is a corporal?

Puttees reckons the hat is "officer" like.

Can you show the other photo. It might reveal more info.
 
He definitely said Corporal, but he could well be wrong- which could change the search entirely. His English is ok, but like he said himself, its been 60 years and a lot got lost in translation for sure. I have been a little confused about the hat too.
The other photo is just of himself and has no real details on it. He told me he has some more pics, but he cant find them (as soon as he met me he ran home and searched high and low for them, but couldnt locate them.
 
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