Archibald Fea was born in Yorkshire, England on 15 June 1880. He was born to James Cape Fea and Jane Elizabeth Carter. James Fea at the time of Archibald’s birth was working as a Timber Merchants Manager and Traveler. James Fea and Jane Carter had wed in 1865 at Christ Church, York. Jane was the second oldest of 7 siblings. We have no accessible record of James’ parentage. When Archibald was born, he was the 9th of 11 children. He was baptized on 10 July 1880 to the Anglican denomination.
Archibald’s family resided in Cottingham, Yorkshire. In 1893, Archibald’s mother Jane passed away suddenly aged 50. Archibald was 13 at the time. By age 20 Archibald was working as a Shipping Office Clerk in Yorkshire East Riding. Between 1901 to 1910 Archibald’s movements are unrecorded. In time he had emigrated to New Zealand, taking up residence in the small town of Pahiatua, 22 Km east from Palmerston North. His name shows up under voter registration rolls of 1911, 1914, 1919, and 1922. After a few years in Pahiatua, he moved to Napier to work as a clerk for the Kotuku Oilfields.
On 9 August 1914, Archibald enlisted in the Infantry 5 Regiment. He trained at Trentham Camp and was placed in the Samoan Advance Party under Robert Logan. Archibald landed onto Samoan soil and resided there with his regiment until 14 April 1915. Afterwards he was shipped to Egypt where he resided from 13 June 1915 to the cease of conflict in late 1918. He had been admitted to administrative aid. Archibald departed for Liverpool, England on the S.S. Oxfordshire on 19 December 1918. He was discharged on 18 August 1919. He had served overseas for 4 years and 359 days.
Returning home, Archibald moved to live in Dannevirke, continuing as a clerk and remaining on the voter registration for Pahiatua. Archibald passed away from long-term sickness caught during the war on 16 November 1924 in Red Cross Hospital Wellington, aged 44. He received for his service the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Archibald’s father, James, lived until 1932, passing away aged 93.
Authored by Adam Wyatt
