Name
Archibald Bernard Orsman
1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/04/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/26406
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
17th Bn.
‘D’ Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 7
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, British Schools Museum Memorial, Hitchin
Pre War
Archibald was born in 1895 in Hitchin and christened on 13 Jun 1895 in Holy Savior Church, Hitchin. His parents were William Arthur - in most records found he is just Arthur, and Eleanor (née Rowe).
In 1901 the family were living at 9 Verulam Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Arthur (49) and Eleanor (47), with Arthur and working as a carpenter. Their children were: Francis (29), Reginald (17), Victor (9), Stanley (7), Archie (5) and Hilda (5).
1911 the family were still at 9 Verulam Road, Hitchin, Herts. Present were both parents, and Arthur still working as a carpenter. The census recorded they had been married for 30 years with 8 children, all living. Of the children listed above Francis and Reginald were absent, the others were present with Archie now 15 working as an errand boy in a boot shop.
Before joining up he was employed by Mr H. Tickner at his boot repairer's business in the Churchyard, Hitchin.
Officially Archie was recorded as born in Hitchin, Herts and enlisted in Bedford.
Wartime Service
Archibald was given the Regimental Number G/26406 and went to the Western Front in April 1916. He was initially reported missing at Oppy and later, on 28 August 1918, presumed killed.
At the time of his death he was in ‘D’ Company of the 17th Battalion (1st Football) of the Regiment which was in the 6th Brigade of the 2nd Division of the XIII Corps of the 1st Army. The Battalion was engaged during the Battle of Arleux at Oppy Wood and on Oppy village in an attack which was a general failure. Oppy Wood was a mass of tree stumps and Oppy village was in ruins. A storm of shell went on for days and some men went temporarily insane from noise and sheer terror. The Battalion lost 11 officers and 451 men on that one day due to determined German counter-attacks.
The Battalion went "over the top" between 4.00am and 5.00am and held the village till 11.30am. They were then gradually pushed back to their start point. The wounded could not be brought back as the Germans overran their positions. The Battalion was relieved that night. It was said that shellfire probably accounted for most of the missing.
Archibald was one of the missing. The Hertfordshire Express dated 14 September 1918 reported that he had been missing since 28 April 1917 – over 7 months, but that he was now presumed dead on the earlier date.
He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Arras Memorial to the Missing in France.
Archibald has an in the National Roll of the Great War – these were normally placed by family members using what they knew and are not always 100% correct, in his case it records some of the above but suggest he was entitle to the 1914-15 Star but this was not the case as he did go overseas until 1916(*1).
Additional Information
After his death £2 6s 5d pay owing was authorised to go to his father, Arthur, 28 May 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £3 10s was authorised to be paid to him/her on 5 November 1919.
His pension cards record Eleanor Orsman as his mother, as his dependant, living at 9 Verulam Road, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 3s 6d a week from 26 February 1918.
In April 1918 his brother Stanley in the Bedfordshires had been home on fourteen days leave, and also that an older brother had been in Egypt but was going to France but was home on leave.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
