Current Information:

Age-29

31, Marylebone High Street

Bailleul Communal Cemetery, France

The 9th London battalion arrived in France on 5th November 1914 and joined 13 Brigade, 5th Division. On 30th December they went into the front line trenches at Wulverghem, just south of Messines where the trenches were close to the River Douvre and consequently often flooded, up to the men’s waists in places. They were relieved on 4th January and moved back to Neuve Eglise. But even here they were not safe.  Around midday on 5th January, the enemy shelled the town and one large shell fell in the street just outside their HQ killing seven men and wounding a further fifteen. They returned to the trenches on 7th January for a further two day spell in the front line. Archibald Welch died from wounds on 7th January, 1915, but it is not known on which day hw was wounded,