1st/14th Battalion London Regiment
(London Scottish)

Angus was born in Coronel, Chile, on Wednesday 7th April 1897, son of David and Mary Wilson Angus, of 9 Muswell Road, London, N10. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy from 1908 to 1914 where he was the Pipe Major in the OTC.
At the outbreak of war Archibald volunteered and was sent for training. Colonel George Alexander Malcolm led the Battalion to Watford Station where they entrained to Southampton. Archibald sailed to Le Havre on SS Winifredian on Tuesday 15th September 1914 and was given a heros welcome when he marched through the town. The Battalion was ordered to Villeneuve St Georges where they were split up and sent on a series of different duties including one company sent to guard Field Marshal Sir John French at his Headquarters in La Fère-en-Tardonenois.
Colonel Malcolm collected his Battalion together in St Omer between Sunday 25th and Wednesday 28th October. A large number of motorised omnibuses collected the Battalion at 5.00pm on Thursday 29th and drove them to Ypres where they arrived at 3.00am the next morning. He was able to marvel at the medieval splendour of the old town for a few hours before an artillery barrage woke everyone. Archibald paraded in front of the Cloth Hall then marched out through the Menin Gate and along the Menin Road to ‘White Château’, General Sir Douglas Haig’s Headquarters. The Battalion halted whilst Colonel Malcolm went into Headquarters to discuss plans with General Haig before pressing on to the woods near Hooge, soon to be named ‘Sanctuary Wood’. Archibald was able to get his pack off and have some rest. Colonel Malcolm was ordered to take his Battalion to Hooge Château where he met General Munro who came out to inspect the parade. With the situation around Gheluvelt calming down the Battalion was not required in the sector but were deployed to the south. Archibald marched back along the Menin Road and into Ypres once again where he embussed. The fleet trundled out of the town via the Lille Gate and were forced to slow down by refugees fleeing the fighting as they arrived in St Eloi. Archibald got some sleep in a local barn at Wytschaete before being awoken at midnight. He paraded on the road and as he waited to march off a column of the Scots Greys and some French Cuirassiers rode by. The Greys gave the London Scottish a great cheer that was reciprocated. Colonel Malcolm spoke with General Gough and told him of the Battalion: “… had been travelling the whole of the previous night and marching and counter-marching during the day, and it would be advisable to given them some rest.” Archibald was able to get some rest until 8.00am on Sunday 31st then marched with a full pack along the pavé to Wytschaete that was being evacuated with locals milling about. With every step south they went closer to the sound of the guns and shells were bursting along the road. Archibald was sent into reserve at ‘Enfer Road’, close to the windmill on the heights, where he lay low as he came under heavy shellfire throughout the day. During the hours of darkness he began to dig in furiously and at 9.00am the enemy mounted an attack. The relatively fresh German troops were full of enthusiasm being led forward by a number of bands play martial music including ‘Deutschland, Deutschland, über Alles’ — this was curbed when Archibald and the Battalion opened rapid fire on them. An artillery duel began with the windmill being hit and bursting into flames, the whole sky was ablaze as the houses and farms were consumed in the inferno. Despite their hard efforts the pressure on the Battalion was too much. Large numbers were killed by shellfire but the majority died in fierce close combat. How young Archibald met his fate is unknown.
General Edmund Allenby wrote to General Sir Douglas Haig: “I wish to tell you how magnificent the London Scottish have behaved. In discipline and tactical efficiency they have been up to he standard of the best Regular Troops. Last night they took their place in the trenches after a hard day of marching and fighting, as I had not enough strength to keep them in reserve. In the small hours of the morning, my front was broken and the brunt of the attack came on that section, held by the London Scottish. Not a man left his trench, until the trenches were overrun by the enemy. They made a great fight, and accounted for hundreds of Germans. The losses were I fear very great, but their staunchness enabled us to maintain the important position at Wytschaete, until the arrival of reinforcements. The Cavalry Corps and the Army owe them a debt of great gratitude. I regret deeply the loss of so many brave men.”