Adam Archibald
Adam Archibald was a Scottish First World War recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Archibald was 39 years old, and a Sapper in the 218th Field Company, Royal Engineers, when he won his VC. His citation reads: On 4 November 1918 near Ors, France, Sapper Archibald was 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. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Engineers Museum, Chatham, Kent.
ReferencesMonuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)The Sapper VCs (Gerald Napier, 1998)SCOTLAND'S FORgotten VALOUR (Graham Ross, 1995)VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 2000)
External linksLocation of grave and VC medal (Edinburgh) This page has been from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.
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