Archie Lorrey

Wartime Heritage ASSOCIATION

Remembering World War I Yarmouth Connections

Archie Lorrey

Name: Archie Lorrey Service No. 1260654 Rank: Driver 5th Divisional Ammunition Column CEF Date of Birth: May 24, 1884 Place of Birth: Yarmouth, NS Date of Enlistment: May 11, 1916 Age at Enlistment: 32 Address at Enlistment: Yarmouth NS Place of Enlistment: Halifax, NS Height: 5 feet 6 ½ inches Eye Colour: Blue Hair Colour: Brown Trade: Labourer Religion: Baptist Marital Status: Married Next of Kin: Georgie May Lorrey (Wife) Yarmouth Date of Death: July 30, 1954 Cemetery Chegoggin Cemetery (West Yarmouth United Baptist)

Photo: Wartime Heritage 2014

Attestation Paper (click to enlarge)

Archie, Grace, Georgie (wife), and Harvey Lorrey

Archie Lorrey, was the son of Charles and Grace Lorrey of Yarmouth, N.S. He was married to Georgie (Stanwood) Lorrey and had two children, Harvey and Grace. He worked at many different jobs: the Light and Power Co. of Yarmouth; on the Lurcher Lightship; at the Yarmouth to Tusket stagecoach, and at different fishing-related jobs. After enlisting in 1916, he was sent to Camp Petewawa, Ontario for basic training, and then to Camp Witley, England for more extensive training. Overseas he served in France and Belgium with the 5th DAC and DHO, taking part in battles in Ypres and Passchendaele, Belgium. Sometime in the latter part of 1918 he was gassed and sent to Lyminge, Kent, England to recuperate. He was discharged to Canada June 4, 1919, with a total of $178.93 in his pocket with which to pay train and boat expenses, and for clothes, with hopefully a little left over.

Camp Petawawa, Ontario - 1916

Post card note sent from Petawawa, Ontario - 1916

Army Pay Book

Letters Home from Overseas

Dec. 11, 1916, Ashford, Kent Co., England. ( overseas to England for more training) Dear wife, I received your letter and was glad to hear from you again. I am well and hope this few lines will find you the same. I have not got your box, the one you sent me, and if I was you I would not send any more. It is not worth the risks you run. It must cost a lot and it is no good paying your money out and me not getting it. Some one s them and I think it is pretty hard that a feller can't get what his wife sends him. Now be sure and don't send any more. Well, Georgie, my old sweetheart, I am getting on fine. I have a little pain sometimes, but outside of that I am feeling fine now. Don't you worry. I am alright and if I was not I would write and tell you. There is not much news to write. I am about 80 miles from Witley Camp, and I am not acquainted around here. I will tell you more about the place the next time I write. So be a good girl and don't forget your boy. Goodbye from your true and loving husband Archie. Kiss Harvie and Grace for me. xxxx

Army Locket and Pin

Somewhere in France, April 14, 1918 Dear Wife, Just a few lines to let you know that I got your last letter, and the box and everything in it was fine. There is sometimes that a box gets broke but all I have had came good. You said that you are not well, but I hope by the time you get this letter that you will be all right. I am still keeping well. Well, I don't know any more that I could tell you; in fact, there isn't much to tell. Every day is about the same out here, so we'll say goodbye for this time. Give my love to all, from your loving husband, Archie Lorrey.

June 4, 1917 Witley Camp, England. Dear wife, I received your letter alright, the one you wrote the 8th of May, and was glad to hear that you are feeling better than you were when you last wrote. I am feeling fine and I hope you won't get sick moving. Why bless your old soul, I am glad you are going to live in Miss Killam's house. You must of thought I was mad when you read that letter, but never mind, old girl, I shan't write another like it. I was sorry after I wrote it, but I hope you will forgive me. I got your money alright. I told you in the last letter, in case that one gets lost, you will know by this one. The weather is fine here, very warm through the day, but cold at night. Not like the weather at home. I would like to see you today, you old sweetheart, to find out what your dream was, a real one. The next time you write, tell me what it was. We are still in England, which you will know by the head of this letter, and it's hard to tell when we will go across to France. Well Georgie, I must say goodbye for this time. From your true and loving husband, Archie. Xxxxxx I wish these were real.

Somewhere in France, August 27, 1918 Dear Wife, Just a few lines to let you know that I am well, and I hope this letter will find you and the children the same. I have not heard from you for some time, but I think that is because we have made a move. I am not writing a long letter this time. There is no use. All our letters are read and I might put in something that is not right. Well, I don't know any more to say. This is my address: 1260654 Driver Lorrey A. CHA Army Post office, London, England. This will get to me. All right now Georgie, don't worry because I am in France. I will be all right. Kiss the children for me. From your true and loving husband, Archie Lorrey.

Somewhere in France, July 3, 1918 Dear Wife, Just a few lines to let you know that I got your letter and was glad to hear that you and the children were well, and I hope you will keep well. I am feeling a little bum but nothing to worry about. It is only a little cold and by the time you get this letter I will be all right. I have been real well since I came to France. Well, Georgie, my dear old sweetheart, I am getting lonesome to see you and the children. I often wonder when the time will ever come, and what a homecoming it will be if I am spared. Every night that I lay down to sleep I try to picture that little home and what you and the children are doing. There are times, no matter how tired we are, we can't sleep, and sometimes we just get to sleep and a shell or a bomb will land. Then we are up looking for the next one, and I am going to tell you that it gets on a man's nerves..I don't mind it so much in the day, but it is hell at night. But Georgie I can't say that I am sorry I came. I just had to be the man, that is all, and I do think that my dear old darling is proud of her man, and I hope it will all come out all right in the end. I will have to say goodbye for this time. To the best girl in all the world to me. That is what I think about it, and I have a pretty good head for thinking, don't you think? So kiss the children for me. From your true and loving husband, Archie Lorrey.

Lyminge, Kent, England. March 12, 1919. Dear Wife, Just a few lines to let you know that I got your last letter all right and was more than glad to hear that you were all well. You said that Harvey has grown a lot since I left. Well, I suppose he has, and I have often tried to picture in my mind just how big Harvey and Grace are. Georgie, my old sweetheart, these children of mine will make me feel like an old man when I get home, and I hope it won't be long now before I get home .