Name
Charles Ernest Archer
23/05/1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/09/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
22400
King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WINDMILL BRITISH CEMETERY, MONCHY-LE-PREUX
II. E. 16.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Wheathampstead Village Memorial, St. Peters Church Memorial, Gustard Wood
Pre War
Charles Ernest Archer was born in Gustard Wood, Hertfordshire, on 23 May 1894, son of George Archer a, Horse keeper on a Farm and Fanny Archer (nee Cobb). He was one of seven children, two having died in infancy.
His parents were living at Station Road, Wheathampstead on the 1891 Census with daughter Edith (born 1887) and son Frederick (born 1890) but had moved to Gustard Wood by 1894. The 1901 Census records Charles aged 6, living with his parents and Edith, a golf caddy,Frederick, Bertie (born 1892) and Susan (Susy born 1897) in Gustard Wood, Herts. On the 1911 Census Charles is recorded as Charlie, aged 16, working as a Farm Labourer, living with his parents and sister Susan (14), a Golf Caddy in, Gustard Wood, Herts.
Wartime Service
Charles enlisted at the County Town of Hertford, posted to the Kings Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) as a Private with the service number 22400. No Service Records were found for Charles. Such records that exists suggest that Charles served for some time in the 8th (Service) Battalion. When he transferred to 1st Battalion and when he was promoted to Lance Corporal are not known.
1st Battalion were part of 4th Division and together with the Canadian Corps were in the Arras Sector and launched an assault on the German Drocourt – Queant Line (or Wotan Stellung) on 2 Sep 1918. Charles was killed in this action with the 1st Battalion, Kings Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) on 2 Sep 1918. Subject to Machine Gun fire from Prospect Farm there were 13 ORs, (Charles being one of them), and 36 were wounded in the attack. (Information from the War Diary).
Additional Information
His parents received a Dependents Pension of 5/- a week from 6 November 1918. His effects of £31-16s-9d, Pay Owing and £13 War Gratuity went to his mother Fanny Archer.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
