Name
Percy Archer
15/06/1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/05/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
493200
London Regiment *1
13th (County of London) Bn
'A' Coy,
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN
IV. G. 19.
France
Headstone Inscription
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
UK & Other Memorials
Much Hadham Village Memorial, Bench Plaque, High Street, Much Hadham, St Andrew’s Church Memorial, Much Hadham, Stone Bench Plaque, Much Hadham, Congregational Church Memorial, Hadham Cross
Pre War
Percy Archer was born on 15 June 1895, in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, son of Alfred William Archer, a Journeyman Baker and Rosa (nee Strudwick) Archer. One of seven children. Baptised on 6 Oct 1895 in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire.
1901 Census records Percy aged 5, living with his parents, and six siblings in, Much Hadham, Herts.
In 1911 aged 15, he was living at home in High Street, Much Hadham, Herts, with his parents and five siblings, and working as a grocer’s porter.
Wartime Service
Formerly Private 6113, 8th Middlesex Regiment and then Private 6395 London Regiment. In February 1916 the soldiers from the regiment were transferred to the London Regiment and posted to France on 1st September 1916. This presumably accounts for his third service number.
The 13th Battalion London Regiment which was known a ‘volunteer’ unit. From 3-4 May 1917 as part of the 56th Division, Percy’s Battalion was involved in the Third Battle of the Scarpe, a part of the Second Battle of Arras. Percy’s Battalion attacked from Monchy towards a German fortification called the Wotanstellung. It was here that Percy was mortally wounded. He was to die later at a casualty clearing station at Duisans and was buried nearby.
The War Diary Notes 1917: Between the 6th and 12th of May an attack was made on German positions near Guemappe. During this time the Kensington's were on patrols and in support trenches where they had to endure sustained shellfire. Percy died at a clearing station behind the front line, having been wounded by the shelling at this time.
Additional Information
His effects went to his mother Rosa, £2-6s-9d, Pay Owing and a War Gratuity of £4-10s-00. His father, Mr. A. Archer, High Street, Much Hadham, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN".
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London) Bn. London Regiment (Kensington).
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Malcolm Lennox, “Lest We Forget – Much Hadham 1914-18” by Richard Maddams (Much Hadham Forge Museum), Douglas Coe
