John Mercer John Mercer served in the Royal Artillery as a signaler from 1942 until 1947. Later, he pursued a career in education, becoming a schoolteacher and then a college lecturer. Brought up in Bexleyheath, John Mercer has lived in Sidcup since 1957 and haswritten several books on local history and two on military memoirs. Before retiring he taught locally and in a former London Polytechnic. Read More Read Less