Henry Archer was born in Coventry, Warwickshire on 2 April 1903, the son of John Henry and Mary Elizabeth Archer (née Magson). He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Artificer on 8 January 1919. On completion of his Engine Room Artificer Apprenticeship, he joined HMS DOLPHIN ‘for the Submarine Course‘ on 25 August 1923. He then served in HMS CYCLOPS ‘for Submarines‘ from 26 November 1923 to 21 September 1924 and then returned to HMS DOLPHIN. Henry Archer was next drafted to HMS L20 from 26 March 1925 to 31 January 1928. He then served in HMS L2 from 1 February 1928 until at least 1 January 1929.

No further details of his Rating service are available, but he was promoted to Warrant Engineer on 1 July 1936 and, on 15 September 1936 he was appointed to the cruiser HMS YORK.

Henry Archer was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS TITANIA ‘for Submarines‘ on 31 May 1938 and to HMS L27 as Engineering Officer on 16 December 1938. An appointment to HMS SPEARFISH as Engineering Officer followed on 5 January 1940. SPEARFISH was sunk on 2 August 1940 after being torpedoed by U-Boat U-34 about 180 miles West of Stavanger in Norway.

Henry Edward Archer was the husband of Edna Lilian Archer (née Jenkins) whom he had married in Strood in Kent in 1929. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel No. 37 Column No 2.