George William Bell ARCHIBALD

Regimental number53568
Date of birth2 September 1892
Place of birthFairlie, Canterbury
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationEngineer
Age at embarkation24
Height5' 11"
Weight159 lbs
Next of kinFather, Walter Patterson Archibald, Karamu Station, Hastings
Enlistment date23 January 1917
Rank on embarkationCorporal
Unit nameNew Zealand Expeditionary Force, 29th Reinforcements, Specialists Company, Machine Gun Section
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Wellington
The Machine Gun Section of the 29th Reinforcements left New Zealand on board two ships (SS 'Mokoia', 13 August 1917, and SS 'Ruahine', 15 August 1917). It is not possible from the Nominal Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked.
Final rankStaff Sergeant
FateDischarged in the United Kingdom 8 January 1920
Discharge date8 January 1920
Other details

War service: Western Front

Embarked Wellington, 13 August 1917; disembarked Glasgow, 2 October 1917, and marched in to Sling Camp, 3 October 1917.

Reverted to Lance Corporal, 3 October 1917.

Proceeded overseas to France, 26 October 1917.

Transferred to Wellington Infantry Regiment, 8 November 1917.

Wounded in action, 9 December 1917 (gun shot wounds, hands and left knee); admitted to 1/3 Northumberland Field Ambulance, 10 December 1917; transferred to 14th General Hospital, Wimereux, 11 December 1917; to England, and admitted to 2nd London General Hospital, Chelsea, 13 December 1917. Transferred to No 1 NZ General Hospital, Brockenhurst, 4 January 1918; to NZ Convalescent Hospital, Hornchurch, 23 January 1918; discharged to duty at Weybridge, 26 February 1918.

Attached to Mechanical Transport Depot, with rank of Artificer, 4 March 1918.

Attached to 4th Infantry Brigade Headquarters, Sling Camp, 6 March 1918.

Appointed Artificer Corporal, 16 December 1918; Sergeant, 2 April 1919; Staff Sergeant, 31 August 1919.

Discharged in the United Kingdom, 8 January 1920.

Total war service: 2 years 251 days (of which 2 years 149 days were abroad)

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsParents: Walter Patterson and Isabella Archibald (both b. Berwick, Scotland)
SourcesNominal Roll Vol. 3: Roll 70, p. 23
Archives New Zealand (Wellington), Agency AABK, Series 18805