Archbold, J.G. Mne.

Personal Information

Wounded 1 November 1944. Gerry Archbold joined up in 1943, aged 17. After training at Achnacarry, because of his age he was assigned to guarding airfields. But it was not all boredom, he fondly remembered being taken up for a spin in a Swordfish by one of the pilots.

It was after D-Day that Gerry joined his colleagues in 47 RM Commando as they trained for the assault on Walcheren. He was a radio operator and was on board a Buffalo amphibious vehicle as the attack began. As they saw the two Buffalo's in front of them hit, his sergeant told him "to get that thing off your back". It was timely advice because soon after their Buffalo was hit by tracer fire and they all jumped into the water to escape the burning phosphorous. As Gerry swam ashore, he grabbed the hand of one the other men in the water, but when they reached the beach he realised his colleague was dead.

On the beach, Gerry realised he had serious burns to his leg and could barely walk. He managed to hide himself in a water filled foxhole until help arrived. His next recollection was waking on a stretcher and hearing German voices from either side. At first, he thought he'd been captured, but then he realised he was in safe hands and the Germans were POW's who were being taken to the same hospital ship.

He returned to blighty and convalesced in Portmeirion in Wales. Unfortunately, the village was dry, so to speed their recovery Gerry and a colleague 'borrowed' a boat in order to find a local hostelry.

Once recovered, Gerry was drafted into the Military Police and spent the last 6 months of his service as a driver in Germany.

Returning to civilian life, he worked in a factory making sash windows, where he met Thelma, soon to be his wife. In the 50's he joined Associated Ethyl Ltd (the makers of the anti-knocking compound found in petrol) as a rigger/scaffolder and remained with them until his retirement.