Archibald Skewes was born in Maryborough, Victoria, was single and an Engine Driver living in Ballarat West when he enlisted with the 8th Battalion, 16th Reinforcement on 29 January 1916 at the age of 29. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A23 Suffolk on 1 April 1916. On 4 August 1916 he joined his battalion in France and, later that month, was wounded in action with a gunshot wound to the right hand and back. He was admitted to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station and transferred to the London Military Hospital in England. On 15 December 1916 he was granted furlough and instructed to report to Perham Downs. On 19 June 1917 he was discharged from care and proceeded overseas to France to re-join his unit.

In September 1917 hr was wounded in action in the field, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the back, neck, chest and abdomen, presumably by German machine gun fire. The chest wound was marked as æsevere' and he was evacuated to the Reading War Hospital. He recovered and returned home to Australia per the transport ship A.74 on 15 April 1918.
Tree No. 2062