Born at Omadale, Nundle to John and Ellen (nee Lynch) Mychael, Archibald was the youngest of their 10 children.
Archie attended the local public school and prior to enlisting, followed bush pursuits, was an excellent horseman and worked as a first-class shearer who resided at Limestone, Glenrock Station, Moonan Flat, via Scone, NSW.
The 1st Light Horse Brigade was the first light horse formation raised at the start of the war. It was part of the 1st Contingent that was hastily put together in the middle of August 1914, and consisted of 1,560 men organised into three regiments – the 1st, 2nd and 3rd– each of approximately 520 men. The brigade’s personnel were drawn from the states of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania.
Archie enlisted with the 1st Light Horse on the 22nd of August in Sydney, NSW aged just 21 years. He gave his previous service as currently with the 6th Light Horse. On the 2nd of September a record of his desertion from the 6th was raised however on the 17th it was resolved by his enlistment with the 1st.
Following its formation, the brigade began embarking for Egypt from Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart, in September and October 1914. The Sydney contingent embarked aboard the HMAT A16 Star of Victoria on the 20th of October. Upon arrival in Egypt in December 1914, the brigade moved into camp at Mena, where training was undertaken, and further reinforcements were received from Australia.
In May 1915, while about a quarter of the strength of each light horse regiment remained in Egypt with their horses, the brigade- with additional reinforcements, was deployed to Gallipoli. They were in turn to be reinforcements for the infantry that had landed in April but had become pinned around a small perimeter around a beachhead at Anzac Cove. Deployed in a dismounted role, the brigade was assigned to the New Zealand and Australian Division.
Upon arrival, the brigade was assigned to hold part of the defensive line that the Allies had established around Anzac Cove. During this time, they undertook patrolling operations, occupied outposts, carried out sniping and worked to dig trenches and lay down wire. For the majority of the campaign the brigade’s regiments maintained a defensive posture; however, in August the Allies attempted to break the deadlock on the Gallipoli peninsula, launching the August Offensive in an effort to secure the heights around Sari Bair, Chunuk Bair and Baby 700. During this effort, the 1st Light Horse Regiment carried out a feint attack at Pope’s Hill, in support of the attack at the Nek. Out of 200 men committed, less than 40 survived. Archie was to be one of those ‘Killed in Action’ on the 21st of August 1915. He was buried the same day by Chaplain E.N. Merriington in D3, grave 2, in Shrapnel Valley Cemetery, 400 yards south east of Anzac Cove.
The personal effects returned to the family in a brown paper parcel were: Testament, Rosary, Diary, Bushman’s companion.
Awards: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Cemetery: Shrapnel Valley Cemetery, Gallipoli. Plot 4, Row C, Grave 13..
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour;
Scone Barwick House War Memorial Arch;
Gloucester Memorial Clock Tower.
“Lest We Forget”
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones (VWMA) & edited by Admin.