Albert Edward Archer
Albert Archer, (centre) tending an injured soldier in his role as stretcher bearer.
Albert Archer was a son of Corsham born in 1882 to Isaac and Mary (nee Gingell) Archer – he was part of a large family – Isaac and Mary had 10 children. Albert was christened in Neston on 5th March 1882 and in 1891 as a scholar he was living in Chapel Knapp in Gastard with his parents and older brother Jesse who was a gardener. By 1901 they were living in Monks Lane with father Isaac and Albert (aged 19) both labourers at the local stone quarry.
In 1902 Albert married Beatrice Hilda Greenman who was from Biddestone and by 1908 had 4 children all registered as born in Corsham – Dorothy Violet, Douglas Eric, Ivor Dennis and Albert Edward. They then moved to South Wales to a mining village called Pontycymmer where Albert was a coal miner hewer. They had another son Stanley Harold and when Albert enlisted along with six other men from Pontycymmer he and his wife and 7 children. He was assigned to the 9th Service Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment and was serving in France from August 1915 in a Service Regiment providing direct front line support as a stretcher bearer.
He was killed in action on 6th May 1917 at Bullecourt while recovering bodies after the 62nd division had broken through the Hindenburg line in the lead up to the Battle of Arras and is remembered on the Arras Memorial.
Albert’s parents Isaac and Mary were still living in Monks Lane in Corsham at the time of the 1911 census. Isaac died in 1913 before the war started and Mary died in 1918.
His wife Beatrice was recorded as living at 5 Upper Adare St, Pontycymmer.
In 1902 Albert married Beatrice Hilda Greenman who was from Biddestone and by 1908 had 4 children all registered as born in Corsham – Dorothy Violet, Douglas Eric, Ivor Dennis and Albert Edward. They then moved to South Wales to a mining village called Pontycymmer where Albert was a coal miner hewer. They had another son Stanley Harold and when Albert enlisted along with six other men from Pontycymmer he and his wife and 7 children. He was assigned to the 9th Service Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment and was serving in France from August 1915 in a Service Regiment providing direct front line support as a stretcher bearer.
He was killed in action on 6th May 1917 at Bullecourt while recovering bodies after the 62nd division had broken through the Hindenburg line in the lead up to the Battle of Arras and is remembered on the Arras Memorial.
Albert’s parents Isaac and Mary were still living in Monks Lane in Corsham at the time of the 1911 census. Isaac died in 1913 before the war started and Mary died in 1918.
His wife Beatrice was recorded as living at 5 Upper Adare St, Pontycymmer.
