Captain Archibald Thomas BOSTOCK
A Company, 14th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (Pioneers)

Date of birth: 23rd February 1877
Date of death: 30th September 1915

Died of wounds aged 38
Buried at Etaples Military Cemetery Plot I Row A Grave 6
Archibald Thomas Bostock was born at North Street, Horsham in Sussex on the 23rd of February 1877 the second son of Dr Edward Ingram Bostock JP MRCS and Sarah Southey (nee Baker) Bostock of 28 The Causeway, Horsham in Sussex.

He was educated at the English College in Bruges from 1889 and at Lancing College where he was in School House from September 1891 to December 1893.

On leaving school he was apprenticed to a firm of civil engineers and was elected as a student member of the Institution of Civil Engineers on the 19th of November 1895.

He attested for service as Trooper 6774 in the Imperial Yeomanry at Norwich on the 3rd of January 1900. At a medical examination, which took place on the same day, it was recorded that he was six feet tall and that he weighed 166lbs. It was also recorded that he had a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He was posted to the 43rd (Suffolk) Company, 12th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry and embarked for service in South Africa on the 30th of January 1900. He was discharged from service at his own request at Johannesburg on the 21st of March 1901 in order to take up employment with the South African Government. He worked for five years as Assistant Engineer for Maintenance involved in survey and construction work for the Imperial Military Railway at Pretoria.

In June 1906 he moved to Ceylon where he worked for the Colombo Harbour Works and lived at "Uplands" in Colombo before moving to India where he worked for the Punjab Irrigation Branch, being involved in the construction of a railway line which served the Shelum Canal works from the 10th of September to the 13th of November 1906. He then worked for the Eastern Bengal State Railways until November 1908. He worked for three more years with the South India Railways at Trichinopoly from November 1908 where he served as a Trooper with the Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles and qualified as a marksman in 1910 as well as receiving a proficiency certificate. He was a Freemason and was admitted as a member of the Lodge of the Rock at Trichinopoly on the 22nd of February 1910. He moved to China in July 1911 where he worked on railway construction for the Canton-Hankow Railway and served as Sergeant in charge of a Maxim gun. On the outbreak of war he resigned his position to return to England and join the army.

His employer wrote a letter dated the 11th of November 1914: -

"Dear Mr Bostock,
This is to certify that you have concluded your three years contract & are now leaving to join your old Corps at the front. I regret that circumstances have necessitated your leaving and can only say that I sincerely trust that on the cessation of hostilities there will be a vacancy for District Engineer for which post you have been recommended."
With best wishes for a safe return
Yours faithfully A.C. Cox, Engineer in Chief

He travelled back to England through Siberia and arrived at Newcastle on the 14th of December 1914. He applied for a commissioned in the Royal Flying Corps on the 29th of December 1914. Attached to his application was a letter to the Assistant Director of Military Aeronautics dated the 30th of December 1914: -

"Sir,
Further to the interview you were kind enough to give me yesterday, I have the honour to enclose a form giving details of my career, and copies of testimonials in support of my character, as I have been much abroad. I am particularly anxious to join the Royal Flying Corps, and hoe my experience of reconnaissance in Africa, India and China may help towards my efficiency as an Observer. You will notice I was in the Boer war, have been a Sergeant of a Maxim and a good rifle shot. I resigned my appointment in China specially to come home for the war, and naturally want to get on with my training as soon as possible. As there must presumably be some delay in granting commissions, I shall be glad to submit myself for training and trial as a civilian, without pay, on receipt of instructions. I should inform you that I, meanwhile, on your advice accepted general Sir Edward Hutton's offer of a commission in his Pioneers, but I trust this will not affect adversely my chance of becoming an Observer if found suitable."

He applied for a commission on the 2nd of January 1915 , expressing a preference for the "Pioneers, Kitchener's Army, 21st Division" and underwent a satisfactory medical examination at Lewes on the same day. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 14th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers on the 5th of January 1915. He was attached to the Royal Flying Corps and reported for duty to at No. 4 Wing, Royal Flying Corps at Joyce Green for instruction as an Observer on the 4th of January 1915. He failed to qualify as an observer and, instead, accepted the commission with the 14th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. He was promoted to Captain on the 18th of April 1915 and embarked at Southampton with his battalion on board the SS "Mona's Queen", on the 8th of September 1915, disembarking at Le Havre at 7am the following morning.

By the 26th of September 1915 the battalion was at Philosophe near Loos. At 7.45am A Company was ordered to move to a nearby road junction to construct a road for wheeled vehicles to run eastwards. Throughout the time they were working there the Company was subjected to shrapnel fire from enemy artillery. They completed their task by 4pm by which time one other rank had been killed and two other ranks had been wounded. Archibald Bostock was also wounded in his side and in his leg, which was broken. He was evacuated to No.1 British Red Cross (Duchess of Westminster’s) Hospital at Le Touquet.

His father received the following telegram dated the 28th of September 1915: -

"Regret to inform you that Capt. A.T. Bostock 14th Northumberland Fusiliers reported in 1 Red Cross Hospital Le Touquet dangerously wounded thigh & back. You are permitted to visit him no passport necessary. This telegram must be produced to Assistant Embarkation Commandant Folkestone by address only who must satisfy him as to identity."

He died two days later of peritonitis and shock.

His father received a further telegram dated the 1st of October 1915: -

"Deeply regret to inform you that Captain A.T. Bostock 14th Northumberland Fusiliers died of peritonitis following gunshot wound abdomen at No. 1 Red Cross Hospital Le Touquet 30th ultimo. Lord Kitchener expresses his sympathy."

Captain H.R.B. Wayman wrote to Sarah Bostock:-

“I cannot tell you how grieved I was to hear today of your son's death; as in addition to being brother officers in the same Company, we were personal friends. He was a splendid officer and friend and always did more than his duty, and I miss him and shall always miss him, terribly, and I know how great a loss you have sustained. On the fateful Sunday (26th of September) we were in a very trying position and he was coolness personified; in fact he was wonderful. We shall all very sincerely mourn him and treasure his memory, and his loss is keenly felt. I cannot tell you what a help he was to me. He was a son to be proud of. All the men of A Company wish to offer you and your family their sincere sympathy.“

His brothers, Corporal Lionel Southey Bostock 3 Divisional Signal Company, Canadian Engineers was killed in action on the 20th of September 1916, 2nd Lieutenant Neville Stanley Bostock B Battery, 162nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery was killed in action on the 22nd of April 1917 and Colonel John Southey Bostock CMG OL Royal Army Medical Corps died on active service on the 12th of August 1930.

His father applied for his medals in March 1920

Back