Archibald Tonkin
Able Seaman Archibald Tonkin – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Division
Early Life
Archibald Tonkin was born in 1893 in Clyst St
Mary, Devon, the son of Henry Tonkin and Thirza Ann Stentiford,
who had married in 1878 at Chulmleigh, Devon. He grew up in a
working-class household, typical of many families of the time, where hard
labour and strong family ties shaped daily life.
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| 1901 Census |
According to the 1901 Census, the Tonkin family lived at 8 Commius Building, Heavitree, Devon. Henry, aged 43, was employed as a Carter for a Haulier, while his wife Thirza, also aged 43, managed the household. Their children were Annie, aged 19, who worked as a washerwoman; Bertie, aged 16, who was employed as a driver for a dairy; Everet, aged 13; Archibald, aged 8; and Daisy, aged 5.
Family
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| 1911 Census |
By the time of the 1911 Census, part of the Tonkin family had relocated to Sketty, Swansea, where they were living at 2 Hill Farm Cottage. Henry, now 49, continued to work as a carter, and his wife Thirza Ann, aged 51, remained at home. Their son Archibald, aged 18, was also employed as a carter, and their daughter Daisy, aged 15, was still living with them.
Also present in the household was their widowed son-in-law, Robert
Campbell, aged 25, who worked as a general labourer. Robert had married Florence
Tonkin in 1907. Florence had been living at another address in Devon during
the 1901 Census but had sadly passed away in 1908, leaving behind a son, Robert,
born that same year. Both father and son were living with the Tonkin family in
Sketty in 1911.
Military Service
Archibald later enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer
Reserve and served as an Able Seaman with the Hood Battalion
of the Royal Naval Division. Although classified as naval personnel,
members of this division often fought on land as infantry, enduring the same
harsh conditions as soldiers on the Western Front.
The 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was a
unique formation within the British armed forces. Composed mainly of Royal Navy
and Royal Marine volunteers who were not required for sea service, it operated
as a land-based fighting unit under Army command. Its men retained naval ranks
and traditions but fought in the trenches alongside regular army divisions
throughout the war, including major engagements at Gallipoli, the Somme, and
Passchendaele.
By October 1918, the Hood Battalion and the 63rd
Division were taking part in the final Allied offensives in Belgium. On 26th
October 1918, the division was engaged near Varlet Farm and Banff
House during the Second Battle of Passchendaele, capturing several
key positions despite heavy resistance. Progress was slowed by difficult
terrain and German counter-attacks, and by nightfall the division was forced to
reorganise and consolidate its defences near Berks House.
Death
During this period of intense fighting and widespread
illness at the front, Able Seaman Archibald Tonkin died from disease
on 26th October 1918, just weeks before the signing of the
Armistice. His death occurred while his battalion was still active in the
field, engaged in the closing stages of the Allied advance in Belgium.
Burial
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| British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers |
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| Archibald Tonkin Braine-le-Comte Communal Cemetery credit - finagrave |
Legacy
Archibald Tonkin’s name is commemorated on the St. Paul’s
War Memorial, Sketty, alongside those of other local men who gave their
lives during the First World War. Though a sailor by rank, his service in a
land-based naval battalion highlights the varied and often overlooked
contributions of naval reservists during the Great War. His story stands as a
reminder of the sacrifices made by families who moved far from their
birthplaces, yet remained bound together by duty, service, and loss.
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