216663 Pte. William Henry Archer British Army 7th Btn Border Regiment from:Dockray, Penrith, Cumberland (d.8th Apr 1916) William Henry Archer was born in Dublin and enlisted at Bovington Camp, Dorset. He died in Flanders. He was 34 years old when he enlisted. He was a labourer and Unmarried. He joined at Carlisle on 3 September 1914 on a short service. His next of kin was Margaret Pelter (mother). She was 85 when she died in 1921. His mother received his victory medal. His 1914-18 star was received by his sister, Annie Daley, (42), formally Patterson who was then living in Bournemouth.
His sister wrote to his regiment about a notice she had seen in the Daily Telegraph just after his death in their roll of honour. She said she had lost sight of him for a number of years. She added that he had been born on March 7, 1881. He joined the army in 1898 in Ireland (Tralee) and was sent to India in 1900. He returned in 1906 to England and the reserve. In India he had been attached to the 1st Oxfordshire Light Infantry.
She said he was of small stature and about 5'4", fair haired and slimly built. His enlistment document described him as 5 foot 8 1/2 inches.
His records show that he was feeling ill from the beginning of 1916. He referred to the 52nd and 53rd Field Ambulances with rheumatism. He also suffered from NVD, neuralgia and various other symptoms. He was observed for general German measles and died in the isolation hospital at Etaples from enteric fever.
He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery.
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