Name: Archibald ‘Archie’ Joseph McIsaac Rank: Private Service Number: B/73171 Service: 48th Highlanders of Canada, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps Date of Birth: October 30, 1920 Place of Birth: New Waterford, Cape Breton Co., Nova Scotia Date of Enlistment: September 10, 1939 Place of Enlistment: Toronto, Ontario Age at Enlistment: 18 Address at Enlistment: House of Providence, Toronto, Ontario Height: 5 feet, 10 inches Complexion: Dark Eye Colour: Blue Hair Colour: Brown Occupation: Farmer, Harvest Hand Marital Status: Single Next of Kin: Mrs. Margaret Power (Sister), Charlotte St., Sydney, NS (at enlistment) Sadie Martin (Sister), 26 Tobin Crt., Roxbury, Massachusetts Religion: Roman Catholic Date of Death: March 17, 1946 Age: 25 Cemetery: St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts Grave: Grave Reference: Range 5, Section 7, Grave 185 Commemorated on Page 587 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on December 13 Archie was the son of Alexander McIsaac (1881-1921) and Margaret (MacDonald) McIsaac (1887-1930), of New Waterford, Nova Scotia. His siblings were Angus, Susan McIsaac (d. 1931), Sarah ‘Sadie’ Anne (McIsaac) Martin (1910-1989), Mary Ann McIsaac (b. 1912), Margaret (McIsaac) Powers (1916-2008), Duncan McIsaac (b. 1918). Archie’s father died when he was just a year old and his mother died when he was 9; he was brought up by his older sister Sarah and an uncle. Prior to enlistment in the spring of 1939, Archie was employed as a harvest hand in Ontario. Prior to that, from 1935-1938, he worked as a clerk and delivery man for MacDougal Grocers in Port Hood, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and for 6 months in 1938, he was a timberman and general labourer with the Dominion Coal Company in New Waterford. His hope, post-war, was to work in mining. His interests included swimming, skating, hockey (right wing), and baseball (short stop, second base). He served in Canada, from September 10 to December 16, 1939, in England, from December 17 to June 13, 1940, in France from June 14 to June 17, 1940, and then he returned to England. Archie took part in the Battle of France, embarking in Plymouth, England for Brest on June 13/14, 1940, with the 48th Highlanders of Canada. Archie and the 48th were part of the Second British Expeditionary Force (2nd BEF), and its attempt to establish a new front in western France after the massive evacuations at Dunkirk had already concluded. The 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade, which included the 48th, was rushed to Brittany with the intention of holding a defensive "Breton Redoubt." However, the French collapse was moving far too quickly, rendering the mission obsolete almost the moment the Canadians set foot on French soil. The 48-hour deployment began on June 13, when the 48th Highlanders embarked from Plymouth, England, aboard the SS El Mansour, a converted French vessel. They arrived at the port of Brest on June 14 and immediately boarded trains to move inland toward Sablé-sur-Sarthe. No sooner had they unloaded their equipment and begun to organize than the military situation deteriorated. With the French government on the verge of surrender, the high command realized the Canadian brigade risked being cut off and surrounded by advancing German armor. The order was abruptly changed from advance to retreat, forcing the regiment to turn back toward the northern coast. They rushed to the port of Saint-Malo, where a chaotic scene awaited them on the docks. To ensure the advancing enemy couldn't utilize their heavy transport vehicles and excess equipment, the Highlanders were forced to destroy their own gear on the waterfront. Archie and his comrades boarded the SS Biarritz, slipping out of Saint-Malo on June 16 and arriving safely in Southampton the following day. This rescue was carried out under Operation Ariel, the lesser-known sister evacuation to Dunkirk, and because of the swift turnaround, the regiment miraculously suffered virtually no casualties during their brief foray into France. Back in the UK, Archie was absent without leave in London from March 11, until June 25, 1943, when he was picked up by the Provost Corps and returned to the 48th Highlanders. On July 6th he escaped unit custody and was AWL until Jan 27, 1944, when he surrendered himself to the Canadian Provost Corps in London. He had spent most of his time in Manchester, and found local employment. Having returned to the Army, Arrchie was confined and a medical assessment was done. On April 14, 1944, he was released from the Canadian Detention Barracks, to a Canadian General Hospital due to pulmonary tuberculosis. He returned to Canada in May of 1944, and was disharged from military service on July 22, 1944, due to his medical condition. Archie died of pulmonary tuberculosis at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in London, Ontario on March 17, 1946. His death was determined to be due to his military service. His headstone includes the name of Sara A. Martin, and it reads, ‘Mother – Age 79’, but Sarah was his older sister who helped raise him, his mother having died when he was 9.