Isaac Baird Archibald - Lest We Forget

Isaac Baird Archibald was born October 8, 1881 in Truro, Nova Scotia.  He was the son of David and Sarah Archibald of Truro. Isaac was married to Minnie Archibald and the family lived on First Street West in Revelstoke. He was employed as a Trainman for the Canadian Pacific Railroad.  Isaac and Minnie had three daughters: Adella, Jean and Margaret.

Isaac Baird Archibald enlisted March 6, 1916 at Vancouver. He was 34 years of age, was 5’9”tall with blue eyes, light brown hair and normal complexion. His religion was Presbyterian. His Attestation papers also note that he enlisted with the 72nd Battalion.

Isaac died on October 27, 1916. He was 35 years of age. At the time of his death he was a Private in the 12th Company of the Canadian Machine Gun Corps. Local newspaper accounts state that Isaac died of wounds but the Canadian Virtual War Memorial site notes that his name is memorialized on the Vimy Memorial in France. This makes it certain that either his temporary grave or his body was never found or identified.

 Isaac Archibald’s name is inscribed on the Revelstoke Methodist Church Honor Roll as well as the Courthouse and Cenotaph plaques.

 On June 9, 1926 Jean Lucille Archibald, daughter of Isaac Archibald, married John Albert Abrahamson, the brother of Charles Oscar Abrahamson, who perished in the Great War. On November 25, 1931, Isaac Archibald’s daughter Margaret died at the age of 20. She had been training as a nurse when she became ill and passed away shortly after.  Isaac’s wife, Minnie Mae, lived until the age of 92 and passed away in Vernon on November 8, 1976.