Cpl
Michael Archbold

Information about birth

Year of birth:
1894

Army information

Country:
England, United Kingdom
Force:
British Expeditionary Force
Rank:
Corporal
Service number:
27247

Information about death

Date of death:
16/08/1917
Place of death:
Vampir, Zonnebeke, Belgium
Cause of death:
Killed in action (K.I.A.)
Age:
23

Memorial

Tyne Cot Memorial
Panel: 144

Distinctions and medals 1

Military Medal
Medal — 09/09/1916

Points of interest 1

#1 Place of death (approximate)

My story

Corporal Michael Archbold (9th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 48th Brigade, 16th Division), was killed in action on the 16th of August 1917.
From the 16th to the 18th of August, the Battle of Langemarck, a stage in the Third Battle of Ypres, raged. On the 15th of August 1917, a day before the advance, the 9th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers left the Vlamertinghe area and marched to the assembly positions on the Frezenberg. The Battalion was in position by 11.30 p.m.
During the night of the 15th/16th of August 1917 there was intermittent German shelling on the assembly positions. The shelling continued all through the morning of the 16th of August, which made it very difficult for the battalion to get in position.
The 16th (Irish) Division attacked at 4.45 a.m. with the 9th Royal Dublin Fusiliers on the right of the Divisional front. The Battalion advanced along the Ypres-Roulers railroad. The Battalion attacked and the German strongpoints at Vampir Farm and Potsdam and dug in just in front of these positions. The Germans still held Vampir farm. The 9th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers was eventually pinned down east of Vampir Farm. During the afternoon the Germans launched a counter-attack and with both flanks in the air the men of the 16th (Irish) Division were forced to withdraw to the Frezenberg.
On the 17th and 18 of August 1917, the 9th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers were relieved and returned to Vlamertinghe area.
Corporal Michael Archbold fell during the attack on Vampir Farm. His remains were never recovered or never identified. Michael Archbold possibly kept lying in no man’s land after his Battalion withdrew to the Frezenberg. He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Sources 1

9 Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers, (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1974/4).
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303
Sources used

More information 4

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/846241
Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum)
https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=8201922b-8aed-46b0-8516-139639991852
Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum)
https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5000648
Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum)
https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/652303