Back MERCER Paul Thomas Richard
d. 24 Oct 1943 CWGC
Service Number 127883 (1314988)
P/O 10th Aug. 1942. (Gazette Issue 36067 published on the 22 June 1943. Page 3 of 6)
F/O 10th Feb. 1943. (Gazette Issue 36067 published on the 22 June 1943. Page 3 of 6)
Date A/C Crew Duty Up Down Details of Sortie or Flight
06-May-43 P.7007 P/O P.T.R. Mercer Roadstead 65 17:15 18:10 Attack on tanker with 5 small escort vessels reported W.N.W. of Alderney. The Casquets were indeed found in this position.
14-May-43 P.7089 P/O P.T.R. Mercer Roadstead 67 21:00 21:45 Attack on two destroyers alongside the Quai Maritime alternatively a medium M/V in the Basin Napoleon in Cherbourg docks
29-May-43 P.7007 P/O P.T.R. Mercer Scramble 19:15 20:15 These sections patrolled base at 5,000ft
06-Jun-43 P.6990 P/O P.T.R. Mercer 10 Group Roadstead 72 17:15 18:45 It was intended to dive-bomb Cherbourg Docks. But found 10/10 cloud at 7000-12000 feet over the target
03-Aug-43 P.7040 F/O P.T.R. Mercer 10 Group Circus 19:57 21:15 These 8 Whirlibombers divebombed Brest Guipavas aerodrome
04-Aug-43 P.7012 F/O P.T.R. Mercer Armed Shipping Recco 11:38 13:05 Long shipping recco W. of Ushant and as far as Cap Chevre, 10 miles south of Brest. This time, however, no ships were found
16-Aug-43 P.6986 F/O P.T.R. Mercer Night Recco 22:06 23:30 F/O Mercer found nothing remarkable in the Channel Islands area
17-Aug-43 P.6986 F/O P.T.R. Mercer 10 Group Ramrod 08:50 10:00 It was intended to divebomb Brest Guipavas. Aborted in 10/10 cloud
25-Aug-43 P.7047 F/O P.T.R. Mercer Convoy 07:50 09:05 Escort of convoy Swanage to Portland
31-Aug-43 P.6990 F/O P.T.R. Mercer Convoy 09:20 10:45 Convoy, West of Portland.
09-Sep-43 P.6986 F/O P.T.R. Mercer Operation Starkey 08:00 09:05 Divebombing of Naval and Flak heavy guns at Hardelot
18-Sep-43 P.7040 F/O P.T.R. Mercer Night Ranger Operation 01:25 03:35 Chatanooga Choo-Choo. Bursts on or very close to line E. of Plouvara
08-Oct-43 P.7012 F/O P.T.R. Mercer Night Shipping Recco 22:20 23:35 S/Ldr Baker found P/O Heaton's ship off Cap de la Hague and bombed it from mast height without seeing more than indistinct explosions. Remaining aircraft RTB.
13-Oct-43 P.6986 F/O P.T.R. Mercer Ship Recco     Night searches (Without bombs) for the Munsterland. Warmwell – Sept Iles – Iles de Batz – Predannack.
18-Oct-43 P.6986 F/O P.T.R. Mercer 263 Special Night Ops - Chuffa Prang 02:22 03:30 Designed to disorganise railway communications in and near Cherbourg Peninsula and thereafter to take advantage of the tactical situation. It was a great success.
23-Oct-43 P. F/O P.T.R. Mercer 10 Group Roadstead 77 15:00 missing Attack on Munsterland in Cherbourg Harbour. F/O Mercer KiA