Archibald Dayrell-Reed was born in Bromley, Kent on 10 September 1887, the son of Margaret Dayrell-Reed and the late George Dayrell-Reed. Pre WWI he was serving as Fourth Mate in the Hurunui, voyaging to Australia. Probationary Sub Lieutenant Dayrell-Reed, RNR, joined the Royal Navy on 29 September 1914 and was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MAIDSTONE at Harwich ‘for Submarines’ on 12 November 1914. Having been promoted to Acting Lieutenant on 6 November 1914, he was appointed to HMS D3 as Navigating Officer to date 7 December 1914. His next appointment was to HMS E23 as Navigating Officer.

Archibald Dayrell-Reed reverted to General Service on 26 January 1916 and was then appointed to the destroyer HMS SWIFT on 30 March 1916. He was further appointed ‘for Special Service with Coastal Motor Boats’ on 4 June 1916. He was awarded the DSO – see London Gazette of 12 May 1917 for torpedoing and sinking the German destroyer G88 on 7 April 1917. He was also awarded the French Croix-de-Guerre on 8 June 1917. He took part in the Zeebrugge and Ostend Blocking Operations in CMB No. 24 on 22/23 April 1918. For this action he was Mentioned in Dispatches – see London Gazette 23 July 1918. He also took part in the further Blocking Operations at Ostend on 9 /10 May 1918. He was awarded a Bar to his DSO – see London Gazette of 28 August 1918 for this action. On 5 December 1918 he was appointed to CMB No. 63BD in Command.

In July 1919 he was sent to the Baltic, in Command of CMB No. 88. and took part in the attack on Kronstadt on Monday 18 August 1919. During the attack he was hit in the head by gunfire. His attack on the Russian battleship Andrei Pervozvanni was successfully completed by his Second in Command. Archibald Dayrell-Reed died later in the Depot Ship.

Archibald Dayrell-Reed was buried in the Koivisto General Cemetery in Finland, and he is commemorated on the Arkhangel Memorial in the Russian Federation on Panel No. 1. It was reported that he had been specially noted for promotion to Acting Lieutenant Commander on 31 December 1919 and that he had been noted for early promotion to Commander.