Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Archibald was the son of William Michael STANDING & Annie (Fanny) SIMPSON and was born on the 3rd of August 1891 in Bobby Whitlow, Lower Bingara, NSW.

His father was the son of Michael STANDING & Mary Ann GALLYER and was born in 1835 in Croydon, Surrey, England.
His mother was the daughter of John SIMPSON & Christina LIVINGSTON and was born on the 12th of July 1847 in Maitland, NSW.

Archibald was the youngest child born into this marriage of 4 children.

His father was previously married to Janet Robinson GRIEG on the 1st of August 1863 in the Presbyterian Church, Newcastle, NSW.
They had 2 children; Mary Janet (1865 – 1941), William Joseph (27.10.1871 – 1935).
Janet died on the 10th of October 1871 in Braidwood, NSW.

Archibald was 12 years old when his father died of a Cerebral Haemorrhage on the 3rd of June 1903 in Coorangoora Flat, near upper Bingara.

After leaving school he became a labourer.

At the age of 24, Archibald enlisted into the AIF on the 1st of October 1914 in West Maitland, NSW.

Archibald embarked from Suez for Australia on board HMAT Suevic on the 28th of April 1915, disembarking in Melbourne on the 24th of May.
He was then sent to Sydney on the 15th of June for discharge.

Archibald was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 30th of June 1915 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory medal.

Archibald married Ada May Victoria POHLMAN on the 6th of September 1915 in Adelaide,
Ada was the daughter of Daniel POHLMAN & Susan Catherine Jane ENGLAND and was born on the 9th of February 1898 in Gilberton, SA.

They made their first home at 28 Maxwell Street and welcomed their first child; William Archibald on the 22nd of November 1915, but sadly he died 6 days later.

On the 29th of January Archibald was admitted into the Adelaide Hospital for six days, suffering from a Rheumatic Heart.

They welcomed their second child; William George Lewis, on the 18th of January 1917.

On the 1st of September 1917 Archibald obtained a Soldier Settlement Block in Spring Creek, near Melrose, Section 350, Hundred of Gregory.

On the 13th of April 1921 his sister Charlotte married John Melville BROWN at their residence in Spring Creek.

They then moved to Prahran in Victoria where Dorothy May was born in March 1923 and little William attended an infant school.

Ada died on the 30th of May 1923 in Prahran and Archibald buried her in the Brighton General Cemetery; Row J, Plot 185.

By the 28th of June Archibald and his two little children had moved back to Adelaide and were living at 291 Gilbert Street, where he gained employment as a linesman and William attended the Sturt Street Primary School.

Archibald then married Rosa May FREEMAN nee THOMPSON on the 23rd of July 1923 in St Luke’s Church, Adelaide.
Rosa was the daughter of Edward Henry THOMPSON & Annie LACEY and was born on the 28th of April 1889 in Ballarat, Victoria.

*Rosa had previously been married to Herman Robert FREEMAN on the on the 28th of July 1913 in Adelaide, but Herman had died on the 26th of April 1922.

Rosa and Herman had lived near Archibald and Ada, near Melrose, so this is probably where they knew each other from years before.

Sadly, little Dorothy died on the 28th of December the very same year and they buried her in the West Terrace Cemetery.

They then moved to 11 Bailey Street, Adelaide and welcomed their first child; Elsie Evelyn Veronica on the 23rd of June 1924, followed by Irene May on the 8th of January 1926.

Allen John Maxwell was their last child born on the 10th of August 1928.

He then moved to Baroota in August 1946 to find employment.

In the same month Archibald was knocked down by a car in Solomontown and broke his leg and was admitted into the Pt Pirie Hospital.

He underwent operations on his leg and will still in hospital in March 1947 when he wrote to the military authorities stating he had lost his medals and discharge certificate.

Apparently he lost them whilst he was staying in a boarding house in Angus Street, Adelaide. His war medals and discharge certificate were stolen from his room, with his new suit of clothes and at the time was an inpatient of the Adelaide Hospital at the time.

Rosa remained in the home at 11 Bailey Street and she died on the 23rd of January 1963 in the Royal Adelaide Hospital and was buried in the Centennial Park Cemetery; General AF, Path 7, Plot 232.

Archibald died on the 27th of October 1966 in the Daw Park Repatriation Hospital and was buried with Rosa in the Centennial Park Cemetery; General AF, Path 7, Plot 232.
His memorial plaque is in the South Australian Garden of Remembrance; Wall 24, Row F

Military  

At the age of 24, Archibald enlisted into the AIF on the 1st of October 1914 in West Maitland, NSW and was allotted the service number 678 and posted to the newly raised 13th Battalion, F Company in Liverpool Camp.
He listed his sister, Mrs WS ROWLISON of Cabramatta, as his next of kin.

The 13th Battalion was part of the 4th Brigade, commanded by Colonel John Monash.
Archibald was initially set to embark in October but the 4th Brigade had to wait for more shipping so they did not depart Australia until December.

On the 24th of November they moved by rail to Broadmeadows Camp, Victoria and accommodated in tents. They were inoculated against Typhoid two days later and continued their field and musketry training.
The Battalion consisted of 30 Officers, 993 other ranks and 58 horses and on the 17th of December they held a ceremonial march through Melbourne.

Archibald embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A24 Ulysses on the 22nd of December 1914 and celebrated Christmas Day on board the ship before arriving in Albany, WA six days later.
They sailed from Albany on the 31st of December and whilst they were on board they continued with physical training and rifle exercises.

They arrived at Colombo on the 13th of January, re coaled and sailed two days later.
On the 28th of January they arrived at Suez and left the following day and entered the Canal, staying at Ismalia that night.
The following morning they continued their voyage to Port Said and arriving in Alexandria on the 31st.

They disembarked the following day and marched into Aerodrome Camp in Heliopolis where they continued their training.

Whilst here, Archibald suffered from an axillary abscess and debility on the 16th of March and was admitted into the Bombay Presidency General Hospital in Alexandria.

On the 15th of April he was discharged, but it is not known whether he rejoined his Battalion and two weeks later he was invalided back to Australia.

Archibald embarked from Suez for Australia on board HMAT Suevic on the 28th of April 1915, disembarking in Melbourne on the 24th of May.
He was then sent to Sydney on the 15th of June for discharge.

Archibald was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 30th of June 1915 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory medal.