In Kilmuir Burial Ground North Uist, is the Commonwealth War Grave of Able Seaman Tom Eric Archer serving on S.S. Embassage with the Merchant Navy who died 27/08/1941.

Derek Lendrem has submitted the following:-

Tom Eric Archer was born 14th September 1915, the son of Tom and Annie Thompson-Jackson Archer. His mother died in November 1915.

Tom Eric married Winifred Laidlaw in 1936.

In 1939 the couple were living at Helmsley Street West Hartlepool, Tom Eric was working as an Assurance Agent. For some time, he was also a Special Constable.

He joined the Merchant Navy serving with the Hall Shipping Company of Newcastle upon Tyne.

At 04.26 hours on 27 Aug 1941 the SS Embassage – carrying 8540 tons of general cargo, including lorries and aircraft – in convoy OS-4 was torpedoed and sunk by U-557 about 100 miles west of Achill Island. Tom Eric Archer was lost along with the master, 31 other crew members and six gunners. He was 25 years old.

The Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 05/11/1941 reports:-
ARCHER Lost at sea August, Tom Eric (M.N.), beloved husband of Winifred Archer (nee Laidlaw) Funeral at Kilmuir, North Uist. Oct. 30. 1941

Tom Eric Archer is remembered at Newcastle on NUT231, at West Hartlepool on W111.002 and W111.055 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.