Archer Freer was born about August 1900, the youngest of eight children born to  Miller Freer, a worker in the shoe trade, and Ellen Coe.

The family had experienced some upheavals before the Great War. Ellen, the mother, died in 1902. About 1909 the fifth child, Arthur, emigrated to Canada. Arthur made a visit to England in October 1911. When he returned to Canada in March 1912 his older sister, Lucy Priscilla, went with him

Archer (also known as Archie) enlisted on 21st August 1918 at the age of 18. He was assigned to the 27th Training Battalion, and subsequently transferred to the 53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, based at Brockton Camp, Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. A couple of months later he was admitted to the Military Hospital at Cannock Chase, suffering from pneumonia. He died 11 days after admission.

Miller Freer emigrated to Canada in 1921.