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Cecil William Mercer | |
|---|---|
_by_George_Charles_Beresford_(1909).jpg) Cecil William Mercer in 1909 | |
| Born | 7 August 1885 Walmer, Kent |
| Died | 5 March 1960 (aged 74) Umtali, Southern Rhodesia |
| Pen name | Dornford Yates |
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | University College, Oxford |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1914–1919 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Unit | County of London Yeomanry |
| Battles / wars | World War 1 |
Cecil William Mercer (7 August 1885 – 5 March 1960), known by his pen name Dornford Yates, was an English writer and novelist whose novels and short stories, some humorous (the Berry books), some thrillers (the Chandos books), were best-sellers during the Interwar Period.
The pen name Dornford Yates, first in print in 1910, resulted from combining the maiden names of his grandmothers – the paternal Eliza Mary Dornford, and the maternal Harriet Yates.