Archibald Gollan BLUE

1877 - 1847

• Name	Archibald Gollan BLUE
  Died	4 Mar 1847
  Born	15 Mar 1877	Strathalbyn, SA
  Gender	Male
  Education	Education : * Archie's earlier years of schooling were at Strathalbyn. * He was at Hahndorf College - probably from when he was about 10 years old. He was a day student rather than a boarder.
  Military service	Military : * Archibald enlisted on 28th Aug 1916. This was two years after younger brother William had enlisted and 11 months after William had died in Egypt. * His service number was 3054 * At the time of enlisting, he was described as a 38 year old farmer of Strathalbyn, unmarried, 5 ft 10 ½ inches, 176 lbs, chest 38 to 40½, complexion fresh, eyes blue, hair blown and religion CofE. He had worn glasses for reading for about a year prior to enlisting. * He served with the 3rd Light Horse like his younger brother William. * He was initially a private and later became a Lance Corporal and temporary Corporal. * He embarked on the SS Bulla on 16th Jan 1917. * He was based in Mosscar, Marakeb and Jisr Esdud * He had malaria in Sept 1918 and early 1919. * He disembarked from the Euripedes in Adelaide on 15th April 1919 and was discharged from service on 22nd May 1919. * According to his war service record (ref : NAA:B245, p 43):- * 28th Aug 1916 - Enlisted for the AIF at Adelaide * 16th Jan 1917 - Embarked for active service abroad * 2nd Feb 1917 - Disembarked at Suez and marched into isolation camp at Mosscar * 2nd Mar 1917 - Taken on strength of 1st LHT Regiment, Mosscar * 12th Mar 1917 - Transferred to 3rd Light Horse Regiment * 16th June 1917 - Admitted to hospital with diarrhoea * 21st June 1917 - Rejoined the 3rd LHR at Marakeb * 8th Nov 1917 - Admitted to hospital , Sapiriyeh (TCT hands) * 16th Nov 1917 - Transferred to 14th Aus Gen Hosp, Abbassia * 24th Nov 1917 - Admitted to Convalescent Depot, Abbassia * 5th Dec 1917 - Discharged to duty * 6th Dec 1917 - Taken on strength of 1st Light Hose Training Regt, Mosscar * 21st Dec 1917 - Marched into Rest Camp, Mosscar * 6th Jan 1918 Taken on strength of 1st LHR, Mosscar * 11th Jan 1918 - Taken on strength of 3rd LHR, Jisr Esdud * 22nd May 1918 - Appointed Lance-Corporal * 11th Aug 1918 - Promoted Temporary Corporal * 6th Sept 1918 - Relinquished temp rank Cpl on evacuating sick * 6th Sept 1918 - Admitted to hospital, Malaria * 18th Sept 1918 - Transferred to 14th Aus Gen Hosp, Port Said * 14th Oct 1918 - Transferred to Rest Camp * 24th Oct 1918 - Marched out to 1st LH base Details, Mosscar * 1st Nov 1918 - Marched out to 3rd LHRgt * 5th Nov 1918 - Joined 3rd LHRgt * 15th Nov 1918 - Promoted Temp Cpl * 23rd Feb 1919 - Admitted to hospital - sick and reverts to L/Cpl * 15th Mar 1919 - Embarked for return to Australia, Malaria * 15th April 1919 - Disembarked at Adelaide * 22nd May 1919 - Discharged at Adelaide - termination of period of enlistment
  Notes for biography	Anecdote : In October 1920, Archibald wrote to the Army records office to confirm that he was the eldest surviving relative of William who had died in the war 5 years previously (ref : NAA:B2455, Blue WB, p 31). He gave his address as Kooyonga at Grange. Williams estate was dealt with while Archibald was a mental patient (ref: Jill Statton above).
  Notes for biography	Biography : * There are no indications that Archie ever married or had any children. * He attended Shylie's wedding in 1906 (he was one of the groomsmen). * He attended Kitty's funeral in 1914. * He attended Sir Samuel's funeral in 1916. *
  Notes for biography	Health : * A year after leaving the military, Archibald was admitted as a mental patient in May 1920 and February 1921 (ref : file 1125, Mental Patients? Estates, Jill Statton, SA Record Series # 7, Guild Books 1990). On admission, he is recorded as a labourer at Witchelina Station via Farina. * It is not known what was the diagnosis, how long he was in hospital, and how he fared in subsequent years. There are hints. Archie found it hard to settle down after the war as war-related illness proved too much and he had long spells in hospital. (ref : Butler p264). WW1 permanently impaired his health. (ref : Butler p486). He was incapacitated for life. (ref Gremmell?? p94)
  Notes for biography	In 1900, in a fund raising appeal for the Naracoorte Hospital, there were Glenroy/Coonawarra subscriptions from JF Gordon 10 shillings, and 2s 6d each from S Blue, AG Blue and Miss Gordon (ref: Naracoorte Herald, 4th May 1900)
  Notes for biography	References : * Mapping Our Anzacs - WW1 Service Record, NAA:B2455, BLUE A G * Letters from Archibald to AIF Base Records confirming that he was William's eldest surviving relative. * Statton, Jill : Mental Patients' Estates, SA Record Series # 7, Guild Books 1990, file 1125
  Notes for biography	Relationship with Sir Samuel * Samuel Way's will : How names have appeared in Samuel's will have given clues about his relationship with them. I notice Kitty's children are treated differently with both Shylie & Archibald being left 2000 pounds, William 'just' 500 pounds and Sinclair did not get a mention. Shylie had probably been close to Kitty. Archibald might have managed Samuel's property in Noarlunga (for a while, before the war). It so happened that William died before Samuel - Samuel signed his will in July 1914, William died on active service in the war in Oct 1915, and Samuel died in January 1916 (before Samuel died).
  Notes for biography	SINGING: * Mrs JF Gordon and Messrs S & A Blue were singing in a Penola concert (ref: Peter Rymill, Border Watch, 1st Nov 1899).  [1]
  Notes for biography	Sport: William played with his brothers, Sinclair and Archibald, in the first Coonawarra cricket match (Border Watch, 9th Feb 1898).
  Occupation	Occupation : * Archie managed a property near Noarlunga before the war (ref : Butler p 264). Maybe this was Sir Samuel's property 'Sea View'. * "The most important and best improved blocks [in Coonawarra] belong to Mr Riddoch ... [and others including] Mr A Blue." (ref: Peter Rymill, Naracoorte Herald, 26th March 1897) * Archibald was recorded as owning a Coonawarra fruit block but this is doubted. He was probably managing one for someone (ref: Peter Rymill). This would not have been the property near Noarlunga which Butler refers to - because Noalunga is 400 kilometres from Coonawarra. It might have been a Coonawarra vineyard which was the property of his uncle John Forbes Gordon (ref: Peter Rymill). * After the war he was at Witchelina Station via Farina. Ex-Hahndorf school mate Bob Webb was also at Witchelina at that time. Bob had served with Sinclair in the Boar War. (ref : Butler p264). He would have been at Witchelina for less than a year because he was discharged from the army in May 1919 and admitted to xxx in May 1920. * His address was 'Kooyonga' at Grange in October 1920 when he was corresponding with the Army about William's estate. This is not consistent with his address being Witchelina Station via Farina as his home address when he was a mental patient around that time. (May 1920 & Feb 1921). * It is not known what sort of occupation, or where, in his later years.
  Buried	Adelaide, SA
  Person ID	I24	Samuel WAY
  Last Modified	14 Jan 2017

  
  

  Father	William Archibald Sinclair ('Billy') BLUE,   b. 10 Jan 1846, Poplar, London, UK ,   d. 18 Sep 1896, Hahndorf, SA, Australia  (Age 50 years)
  Mother	Catherine Gillon ('Kitty') GORDON,   b. 8 Apr 1854, Larbert, Stirling, Scotland, UK ,   d. 4 May 1914, 'Montefiore', North Adelaide, SA  (Age 60 years)
  Married	24 Oct 1872	Residence of Donald Gollan in Point Sturt, SA
  Family ID	F7	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Sources

  [S21] Peter Rymill.