Biography of Archbald William Smith

Biography of

Archbald William SMITH

[Ref. R.21]

At the outbreak of war, Archie applied to enlist into the Honourable Artillery Company but was informed by them on 4 September 1939 that recruitment had ceased and that he should carry on with his occupation until called up. The very next day he received his call out for service with the Territorial Army. He was enlisted into the 97th Light Anti Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery, Territorial Army which was located at 16 London Road, Staines and where he had to report initially at 10am on 9 September 1939. This, and other documents relating to Archie's military service have been kept by his family.

He joined as a gunner and his number was 1481361. He worked in the Battery office which was a small place in the town. In common with other territorial units, the Battery at Staines was short of equipment and initially had no uniform, rifles or transport. One of Archie's duties was to drive the CO around and for this, Archie used his own car and received a petrol allowance for mileage done on army business. The first uniform to arrive was a consignment of greatcoats, however, these were designed for guardsmen and were rather long. Unfortunately, many of the men in the battery were short and their greatcoats dragged on the ground.

Archie had only been in the army for about three months before he suffered a breakdown and was admitted to Windlesham Cottage Hospital for observation on 5 December 1939. Doady was officially notified by letter on 9th December. Archie was under the supervision of doctor J J Graham who was Arthur Aman's doctor and also to become Archie's family doctor. He remained in hospital receiving treatment from a psychiatrist until 11 January 1940 after which he stayed with his parents at Otford for a while.

Archie was instructed to attend the Medical Division at Cambridge Hospital at Aldershot on 23 January 1940 however, he missed that appointment as the letter had been delayed having been addressed to the Battery at Staines but it had, by then, moved to Wraysbury. The appointment was remade for 12 March 1940 and the result was that he was recommended to be discharged as medically unfit.

He had to return to Aldershot on 20 April to attend the Medical Board at Connaught Hospital to be discharged and for this purpose he was issued with a railway warrant to travel from Otford to Aldershot and back. At Aldershot, he was issued with a pass pending the formal discharge certificate.

The Discharge Certificate was issued at Foots Cray, Sidcup on 2 May 1940 and stated the cause of discharge as 'Ceasing to fulfil Army medical requirements per Paragraph 383 (xvi) (b) of the King's Regulations'. The following notes were recorded on the certificate. Military conduct : Exemplorary. Testimonial : Enthusiastic and promising. Would have been promoted to N.C. rank. Archie resumed civilian employment with Arthur Aman on 6 May 1940.

After he left the army, Archie sold his Morris Coupe to the landlord of the Royal Oak pub at Bedfont who laid it up in his garage until the end of the war. It is reputed that it started first time when it was brought out again.

Archie and Doady moved to a bungalow called Glencairn in Brentmoor Road at West End, Woking late in 1940. Archie participated in Home Guard duties at West End and was attached to a searchlight battery who operated from a place called Cuckoo Hill on the common nearby. He and Doady would often entertain the other members of the team at the bungalow as they came off duty.

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