Adam Archibald

Sapper Adam Archibald VC (14 January 1879 – 10 March 1957) was a Scottish soldier of the Royal Engineers and a recipient of the Victoria Cross. Born at 53 Balfour Street in Leith, Edinburgh, he worked as an apprentice plasterer before joining Stuart's Granolithic Works on Duff Street. Archibald enlisted during the First World War under Lord Derby's Scheme on 4 November 1915, entering military service with the 7th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. He transferred to the Corps of Royal Engineers under regimental service number 251610 on 10 November 1916. Following training at Chatham, he deployed to France in September 1917 and joined the 218th Field Company, Royal Engineers, attached to the 32nd Division on the Western Front.

On 4 November 1918, during the Second Battle of the Sambre, the 32nd Division initiated an assault crossing of the Sambre–Oise Canal near Ors, France. Archibald formed part of an engineering party tasked with assembling a floating bridge constructed from cork floats and a canvas superstructure to facilitate the advance of the 2nd Battalion, The Manchester Regiment. The bridge party came under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, including fire from only a few yards away. Despite the danger, Archibald continued working on the cork floats and supports. His efforts helped the party complete the bridge quickly, allowing the infantry to cross. Upon completing the bridge, Archibald collapsed on the canal bank due to severe chemical gas poisoning sustained during the bombardment.

His award of the Victoria Cross was published in the London Gazette on 6 January 1919, with the Fourth Supplement dated 3 January 1919 (Issue 31108, Page 308). The official citation reads as follows:

"For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice on the 4th November, 1918, near Ors, when with a party building a floating bridge across the Canal. He was foremost in the work under a very heavy artillery barrage and machine-gun fire. The latter was directed at him from a few yards distance while he was working on the cork floats; nevertheless, he persevered in his task, and his example and efforts were such that the bridge, which was essential to the success of the operations, was very quickly completed. Immediately afterwards, Sapper Archibald collapsed from gas poisoning."

Archibald received notification of the decoration while recovering in a military hospital. King George V presented the Victoria Cross to him at Buckingham Palace on 31 May 1919. Despite enduring long-term respiratory damage from gas exposure, he volunteered for service with the Allied Intervention in North Russia later in 1919 before his formal military discharge. Upon returning to civilian life in Edinburgh, Archibald resumed employment at Stuart's Granolithic Works. He held positions as outside foreman and works superintendent at the Duff Street facility until his retirement in February 1949. Archibald died at his home in Leith on 10 March 1957. His cremated remains were placed in the Garden of Remembrance at Warriston Crematorium, Edinburgh, and his medal group entered the Royal Engineers Museum collection in Chatham, Kent.