In North Sunderland Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of:
J.R. Archbold
Able Seaman RN T/IX 20622
H.M.M.T.B. 454
12th May 1944 age 20
Faithful unto death.
John Richard was born July 15th 1923,the son of John Craster Archbold and Winifred Archbold, of Seahouses.
In 1939 his family were living at Sea View, Craster Square, North Sunderland. Father John, born 1894, was a Wholesale Fish Merchant; mother Winifred, nee Day, was born in 1894; his brother Gordon was born April 13th 1927. His sister Ruth was born September 15th 1929 and was at school.
The Berwick Advertiser 18/05/1944 reports:-
Seahouses Lad Dies of Wounds
The death is announced from wounds received while in action on an M.T.B. of A.B. John Richard Archbold, second son of Mr and Mrs J.C. Archbold, Sea View, Seahouses. A native of Seahouses, he was educated at the school there, where he was keen on sports. When the L.D.V. was first started he joined the Seahouses Company and later served in the Home Guard under his father.
At the age of I7½ he volunteered for the Royal Navy, being very fond of the sea. He saw service on a destroyer in the Middle East, going through a lot of fighting in Mediterranean area, and received a leg wound.
Returning to this country he volunteered for combined operations and went through a very intensive training, finding the change in climatic conditions from the Mediterranean somewhat trying at first. He was posted to the M.T.B. Service, and for the past seven months had been on one of the boats which saw quite a lot of service. He was due for leave at the time of the action in which he was wounded, but was transferred to another boat.
Had he been spared, he would have been 21 years of age July next. A very keen and alert young lad, he was a good son to his parents and loyal and faithful to his King and Country.
The funeral took place at Seahouses Cemetery on Tuesday, following a service held in the Methodist Church, of which he was a member.
John Richard Archbold is remembered at Seahouses on S66.01 and S66.03 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
