Edwin Ibbotson - Lest We Forget

Edwin Ibbotson was born November 12, 1896 at Birkdale, Southport, Lancashire, England. His mother was Josephine A. Ibbotson. Edwin and his mother were residing in Salmon Arm at the outbreak of the war. His father was Henry Ibbotson, an accountant and sharebroker. Edwin entered the service of the Bank of Commerce on February 18, 1913. He was working as a clerk at the Revelstoke Branch when war broke out in August 1914. He was among the first group of 69 men from Revelstoke to enlist in August 1914.

Edwin Ibbotson signed his enlistment papers December 8, 1914 at Victoria. His regimental number was 107328. He had been with the 30th British Columbia Horse but then transferred to the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles in November of 1914. He was 18 years old, single, 5’ 9 ½” tall with black hair and grey eyes. His religious affiliation was Anglican. The 2nd CMR passed through Revelstoke on its way to the front in June of 1915.

Edwin Ibbotson participated in the Ypres campaign the winter of 1915 and 1916. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant with the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in November 1916. He participated in the Festubert campaign in January 1917 and at Monchy-le-Preux in April of 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. By 1917 Lieut. Ibbotson had three brothers in the service, all of whom had been wounded, and a brother-in-law at the front, whilst his mother and only sister were engaged in war work in England.

Edwin Ibbotson died April 11, 1917 in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He was 20 years old. At the time of his death he was a Second Lieutenant with the 10th Battalion, the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He had been awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous bravery in a daring trench raid carried out successfully against greatly superior numbers. His body was never found or identified and his name is memorialized on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.

On November 17, 1921, a brass plaque was unveiled at the Revelstoke Bank of Commerce in honour of the members of the bank staff from Revelstoke who served in the Great War. Among the names is that of Edwin Ibbotson. This plaque is now housed in Revelstoke Museum and Archives. 

The name of Edwin Ibbotson is inscribed on both the Courthouse and Cenotaph plaques as well as on the Salmon Arm Cenotaph. His name is also inscribed on the chancel screen at St. Peter’s Anglican Church.