Edward George Archer

This story and photos are shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher with FlintshireWarMemorials.com

Edward George Archer was born on the 26th of December 1922, the youngest of four children of Albert Edward & Emily Archer, who married in the December quarter of 1915 in Rochford, Essex. Their other children were Kathleen (born in 1916), Albert (born in 1918) and Herbert (born in 1920).

Their father had served  in the First World War as a stoker in the Royal Navy, first at the shore station of Pembroke II and then on HMS Patrol. In 1921 the family were living at 59 Mill Lane, Horndon on the Hill, Essex and then moved to 2 Hill Crest Villas, Horndon on The Hill, Essex.

According to the 1939 Register, Edward was working as a General Labourer at the outbreak of the Second World War. Both he and his brother, Albert, would serve in the Royal Navy but both would die on service. 1941 Albert was posted to the shore base of HMS Tamar in Hong Kong but was made a Prisoner of War (POW) after the fall of Hong Kong. He was one of many who had been placed on the Japanese troopship, Lisbon Maru, which was carrying both POWs and Japanese Army personnel and was killed when it was sunk in October 1942 by USS submarine Grouper. USS Grouper was not aware it was carrying prisoners of war as the ship bore no sign she was a POW ship.

The Archer family were to experience another terrible loss in 1944. Their youngest son, Edward, had been posted to 591 Assault Flotilla which landed troops on Gold Beach on D-Day. But he was killed when his ship was swamped due to the challenging sea conditions.

His body was recovered and he was buried in St Aubin-sur-Mer Churchyard alongside three other casualties on the Battle of Normandy.

Photos courtesy of Peter Bennett and Geoffrey Gillon on FindAGrave.com

 

The two brothers are commemorated on the Horndon on the Hill memorial and a flower holder placed beside it also commemorates them.

Photos courtesy Geoffrey Gillon on FindAGrave.com

 

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

If you are related to Edward Archer or know where we can find a photo of him we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.