Beschreibung:

The Richard Schweder Collection of Medals for Campaigns in Malaysia A fine Post War ‘Malaya’ M.B.E. group of seven awarded to Major C. H. Mercer, Second-in-Command of 22 Special Air Service Regiment in Malaya, formerly 10th Baluch Regiment and Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment The Most Excellent Order of The British Empire, M.B.E., Military, type 2; 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, E.II.R., 1 clasp, Malaya (Major, Surreys); Efficiency Medal, Territorial, G.VI.R. (Lt., Surreys) good very fine (7) £800-1000 Footnote M.B.E. London Gazette 20 December 1957. The original recommendation states: ‘Major Mercer has been second-in-command of 22 Special Air Service Regiment since February 1955 and his never failing loyalty and enthusiasm have been major factors in determining the success that the Regiment has achieved in many fields of endeavour. Major Mercer has, in particular, made an outstanding personal contribution to the development of military parachuting under jungle conditions. Very largely due to his imagination and drive, the autonimy of Special Air Service patrols parachuted into the jungle has increased during the last two years from twenty-four hours to fourteen days. In achieving this, Major Mercer, who is thirty-eight years old, has, on eight separate occasions during the past eighteen months, willingly accepted the risk of serious injury in order to satisfy himself as to the safety and efficiency of new equipment by parachuting with it into primary jungle under operational conditions. Furthermore, Major Mercer has conceived the idea for an automatic lowering device for equipment and stores supplied by air to sub-units engaged on jungle operations. This may well alter the whole conception of jungle air supply in that it may be possible to disperse with dropping parcels and thereby avoid much wasted patrol effort and loss of security. Major Mercer is entirely responsible for all parachuting activities in the regiment. He has personally organised and despatched all rescue missions, and it has been largely due to his hard work and meticulous attention to detail that the regiment has sustained so few serious parachuting injuries.’ The following obituary is extracted from the journal of The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment: It was with deep regret that we learned of the death of Cyril ‘Hugh’ Mercer, in the Queen Alexandra’s Military Hospital, Millbank on 23 January 1961. He had been ill for some considerable time. When war broke out in 1939 he was serving as a Territorial soldier in the London Rifle Brigade. In 1940 he was commissioned in the Indian Army and served with the Baluch Regiment in Burma until he became a prisoner of war in February 1942. After the war he transferred to the East Surrey Regiment and served with the 1st Battalion in Greece, Libya and Somaliland. From 1952 to 1954 he was attached to the Royal Air Force for ground liaison duties. He was an enterprising and adventurous chap and his spirit of adventure led him to volunteer for duty with 22nd Special Air Service in Malaya from 1955 to 1958. For his meritorious service in these operations he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire. His next appointment was as Training Major to 23rd London Regiment (T.A.), which he help from 1958 to 1960. At the time of his admission to hospital he was serving as Second-in-Command in 21st Special Air Service (Artists), T.A.’ Mercer’s contribution with the S.A.S. in Malaya is praised on two occasions in the book, The Special Air Service, by Philip Warner, in relation to his help in designing the S.A.S. ration pack and also his efforts in regards to tree parachuting.