Pte 57476 Archibald McLean Wilson

• Age: 24
• From: Hamilton, Lanarkshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• Died Saturday 28th July 1917
• Commemorated at: Etaples Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: XXV.L.11

Archibald McLean Wilson was born on 20^th March 1893 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire,  the son of John Wilaon and his wife Janet (nee McLean), of Empire Buildings, Glasgow Road, Muirkirk, Ayrshire. His parents married in Hamilton in 1888. 

He was educated at Beckford Street School, Hamilton.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 9 Watson Street, Hamilton, Lanarkshire. 

His father, John, is aged 38, and was born in Glasgow in 1863. His occupation is shown to be an aerated water salesman . His wife and three children were all born in Hamilton. His wife Janet aged 37, born 1864 no occupation listed, John aged 9, born 1892 and Archibald aged 8, born 1893 are both at school and Margaret aged 5,was born in 1896.

He was still in Hamilton on the 1911 Census when aged 18. 

Archibald enlisted in Glasgow and originally served as Private 1189 of the Lowland Divisional Cyclist Company. He was transferred and was serving in the 19th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 57476 when he died at 20th General Hospital, Camiers on 28th July, 1917 aged 24. It is not known when he was injured, but Archibald died of a fractured spine. 

He now rests at Etaples Military Cemetery, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“LOVING, FAITHFUL TRUE AND KIND A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY LEFT BEHIND”

During the First World War, the area around Etaples was the scene of immense concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals. It was remote from attack, except from aircraft, and accessible by railway from both the northern or the southern battlefields. In 1917, 100,000 troops were camped among the sand dunes and the hospitals, which included eleven general, one stationary, four Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot, could deal with 22,000 wounded or sick. In September 1919, ten months after the Armistice, three hospitals and the Q.M.A.A.C. convalescent depot remained.

The cemetery contains 10,771 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the earliest dating from May 1915. 35 of these burials are unidentified. It is the largest CWGC cemetery in France, and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

He was remembered in the Hamilton Advertiser ahead of his first anniversary on 27th July 1918

WILSON - In loving memory of my dear chum, Private Archibald McLean Wilson, King's Liverpool Regiment, who died at the 20th General Hospital, France, on the 29th of July 1917.

Full of promise was his future,

Opening bright and manly worth.

Hope and promise now are blighted,

Riven are the ties of earth.

- Inserted by Corporal R. J. Irwin A.S.C., France.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to his mother Janet along with a War Gratuity of £6. 

The pension card shows that his mother, living at 45 Bailies Causeway, Hamilton, and later at Empire Buildings, Glasgow Road, Muirkirk, was awarded a pension of 9/6d a week from February 1918.

Archibald is also commemorated on the following Memorials: 

Hamilton War Memorial.

Scotland’s National War Memorial

We currently have no further information on Archibald McLean Wilson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.