Cpl Edwin Archell Labour Corps d.4/4/18

[Will O'Brien]

As per CWGC

Name: ARCHELL, EDWIN

Initials: E

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Corporal

Regiment: Royal Engineers

Unit Text: 3rd Labour Bn.

Secondary Regiment: Labour Corps

Secondary Unit Text: transf. to (290723)

Date of Death: 04/04/1918

Service No: 114002

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: EB. 66.

Cemetery: CARDIFF (CATHAYS) CEMETERY

[Will O'Brien]

& the cemetery info

Cemetery: CARDIFF (CATHAYS) CEMETERY

Country: United Kingdom

Locality: Glamorganshire

Historical Information: During the 1939-1945 War, the city of Cardiff was one of the Royal Naval bases of the Western Approaches Command. It was severely damaged by enemy air attack during the early part of the 1939-1945 War and has been largely rebuilt. The cemetery, known locally as Cathays Cemetery was opened in 1859 and has been extended to cover over 100 acres. The cemetery contains war graves of both world wars. Just over a third of the 1914-1918 burials are contained in a War Graves Plot in the portion of Section EB, this plot is on two converging roadways leading to the main entrance. The remainder of the graves are scattered in other parts of the cemetery. After the 1914-1918 War, a Cross of Sacrifice was erected in front of the plot in the angle formed by the junction of the two roadways, the whole forming a triangular island site. The 1939-1945 War burials are scattered throughout the cemetery in more than 30 different sections. A number of them are airmen who came from the Royal Air Force stations at Cardiff and St. Athan. There are now nearly 500, 1914-1918 and over 200, 1939-1945 war casualties commemorated in this site. Some 40 French and Norwegian Foreign Nationals are also commemorated here.

No. of Identified Casualties: 722

[Will O'Brien]

Edwin Archell's online MIC index entry can be seen here

[Will O'Brien]

Can only find 1 Edwin Archell on the 1901 Census...............A 32 year old Builders Foreman living in Camberwell................If it's our Edwin Archell that would make him about 49 years old in 1918..............quite old for service but not beyond the realms of possibility........His civilian occupation & skills could easily be used in the Royal Engineers........so there's a fair chance this is the right chap

[Myrtle]

SDGW

En: London

Res: Southwark, Surrey

Died How: Died

Home

Formerly 114002 RE

Looks likely that he is the same man as Will's 1901 Camberwell resident. There is a very slight possibility however that his son John Edwin born in 1899, may have used the name Edwin if he had joined up, but with the service in the RE followed by Labour Company it sounds more like the older Archell.

Edwin was already without a father by the age of 12. He was brought up by his mother Harriett and had two older sisters Harriet and Sarah and one older brother Alfred who was working as a clerk by the age of 14. The family lived at 4, Robert Street, Rotherhithe in 1881. Edwin married Jessie Tunmer in 1892.