Archibald Stewart - Lance Sergeant
2nd Battalion Scots Guards 2697387
Died: 7th January 1943, In POW Camp
Archibald Stewart was born on 30th August 1914 in Houston, Renfrewshire. His parents were Alexander, a gamekeeper and Marion, m/s Whyte, who were married in Cumbernauld in the same year.
The family moved to Inverkip where it is likely Alexander was a gamekeeper on the Ardgowan Estate. On 24th July 1940, Archibald married Mary (May) Harrison Dunnachie from Cameron Place, Inverkip. Her occupation is recorded as a waitress, perhaps at the Inverkip Hotel as Cameron Place is close to the hotel. However, it is also known she worked in the ticket office at Inverkip station during the war. The marriage ceremony was conducted by Rev William Crawford and took place in the Manse. Archibald's address on the marriage certificate is given as Pirbright Camp, Surrey and his occupation is a Corporal in the Scots Guards.
Archibald served in the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards and died in a POW camp on 7th January 1943, aged 28 and is remembered in the Caserta War Cemetery, Italy and on the Inverkip War Memorial. The inscription on his headstone reads 'Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away'.
After Archibald was posted as missing and then when news of his death was received, Mary found life very difficult. Her mental health deteriorated significantly and she sadly suffered from depression for the rest of her life. She died in October 1981 at Ravenscraig Hospital, Greenock. The informant of her death was her brother, Joseph Dunnachie, whose address is recorded as 18 Daff Avenue, Inverkip. It appears he died in Largs in 1998.
Thanks to Mrs Helen Davidson m/s Dunnachie for providing additional information on Archibald and Mary.