The Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command LEST WE FORGET 27 ARCHIBALD, Ernest “Ernie” WWII Ernest was born at home on December 22, 1921, to Charlie and Mabel Archibald of the Iranistan District, northeast of Birch Hills. He joined the RCAF in 1941, and was trained as a Bomb-Aimer Navigator. In 1943, he went overseas attached to an RAF Squadron, flying Lancaster Bombers in Canada and England. He completed one tour of operational duty and considered himself very fortunate, as there were five Birch Hills boys who were (to his knowledge) in air crew and he was the only one who was not shot down. After returning to Canada and completing his service career instructing at a base near Vancouver, Ernie farmed. He married Myrtle Hanson and raised a family of four. He then worked for the Penitentiary Service and retired in Drumheller, AB. ARCHIBALD, Walter McDonald WWI Walter was born in Port Hastings, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia on March 20, 1880. He married Roberta Jane Drake on February 14, 1912, and they had three children. Walter was a railroad man before becoming a farmer. He enlisted in the 5th Brigade Amm. Col. Canadian Expeditionary Force at Winnipeg in 1915 and went overseas with the 5th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery. He saw action in most major battles, including Vimy Ridge, and was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre. He returned home in May 1919, and in 1920, he went to Winton and took up farming. In 1923, his wife and family from PEI joined him. Walter passed away on May 2, 1944 in a Charlottetown Hospital. ARCHIBALD, William Alexander “Willie” WWII Willie was born in 1920 in Charlottetown, PEI; the third son born to Walter and Roberta (Drake) Archibald. The family moved to the Winton district in 1923 to farm and the children went to Winton school. Willie left the farm in 1941 to join the Army, arriving in June 1942 in England to train with the 5th Canadian Anti-Tank Regiment. They went to France in July 1945, and Willie returned to Regina and was discharged in 1946 to return to farming. He married Irene Cline in 1973, and they spent many years growing championship flowers, winning many prizes at fairs. ARCHIBALD, William “Bill” WWI & WWII Bill was born in Ireland in 1888, the eldest son in a family of four. He joined the Army at an early age and spent seven years in the British Imperial Army serving in China, India, Egypt, Malta, as well, as Britain. Upon returning to Ireland, he found his family had emigrated to Canada, so he followed them. Bill enlisted in the Army in 1914 and went overseas with the 1st Battalion. He was wounded and captured by the Germans. He returned to Canada and married Margaret McPhail in 1939, and they had a daughter, Uldis. Bill was in the Royal Canadian Navy for a time in WWII, escorting naval recruits across Canada. He passed away in 1966, and his wife passed in 1976. They are buried at Bracebridge, Ontario. Bill had been a longtime member of The Legion.
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