William Munroe Archibald

William Munroe Archibald was born in Truro, Nova Scotia on February 23, 1876. After school he attended McGill University in Montreal, Quebec where he graduated in 1897 with an engineering degree in mining. Following graduation, he moved to Rossland, British Columbia where he began working as a mining engineer for the British America Corporation. In 1901, following extensive experience in various mining camps, he joined the staff at Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company (Cominco) at the nearby smeltering community of Trail, British Columbia, to investigate mining properties. He soon was appointed to the position of Mining Manager.

Mr. & Mrs. Archibald

While visiting California in 1919, Archibald became interested in flying when he saw a Curtiss Jenny aircraft being used in barnstorming exhibitions. After his first night in a Jenny, he knew he wanted to learn to fly. In 1928, as general manager of mines for Cominco, he decided that aircraft could be used to great advantage in mining exploration.

By 1929, he was determined to fly, even though he was 53 years old. He had already purchased a Gipsy Moth from the de Havilland Aircraft Company through company agents in Vancouver. These men also taught him how to fly and he became the first private aircraft owner in British Columbia.  He made the first recorded flight into the interior of British Columbia when he and an air engineer took off from Vancouver for Trail, a trip that took a total of four flying hours.

Curtis JN – 4

William Archibald with Curtis JN – 4
c.1920

Archibald wasted no time in putting his plane to good use, making many flights to Cominco’s operations throughout the rugged interior of the province. He moved to Creston and had an airstrip leveled on his property. He commuted to work almost daily by air, a road distance of 150 miles (240 km), but less than half that over the mountains in his aircraft. In May 1931, he completed a coast-to-coast flight over Canada in his new Puss Moth, one of many such trips he would make in the four small planes he owned during his lifetime.

DH – 80A Puss Moth of William Archibald at Creston Falls, B.C.

de Havilland Puss Moth DH – 80A at Kitchner, BC Airport
c. 1928

Puss Moth DH – 80A CF-AGD
1929

CF-AGT DH – 80A Puss Moth at Midway, British Columbia
c. Sept 1930

Archibald then organized Cominco Flying Services at Creston as the company’s pilot training school. He staffed it with World War I aviators who were hired to train young company engineers up to flying licence standards. One of the early graduates was Mike Finland. Archibald’s enthusiasm ensured that Cominco’s use of aircraft for prospecting, and transporting crew and equipment would be successful. The peak period for Cominco’s use of aircraft under his supervision was reached in 1932 when ten aircraft were in use almost daily.

In 1935, Archibald inaugurated the first air route in the north from Trail to Stewart, British Columbia, and to Ketchikan, Alaska. His broad interest in mining stretched from the east to the west coast of Canada, south to Idaho, U.S.A., and as far north as Great Bear Lake, North West Territories. He developed routes to allow for wheeled aircraft, and made many suggestions for placement and building of suitable landing strips. He was accompanied on many of his cross-country business nights be Page McPhee, an air engineer, pilot and friend. These trips meant long days, often covering 1,500 or more miles (2,400 km) in a day.

CF – AGW DH – 80A Puss Moth.
One of Cominco’s used in fertilizer sales 
c. 1933

CF – AGT DH – 80A Puss Moth belonging to W.M. Archibald 
c. 1935

Archibald’s numerous cross-Canada flights earned him the title of ‘Canada’s Flying Businessman’. He was also known as ‘The Father of the Yellowknife Gold Fields’, since it was through his insistent efforts, shrewdness, and enthusiasm, that the properties were developed.

The Trans-Canada (McKee) Trophy was awarded to Archibald in 1935 ‘in recognition of his work as a pilot and in organizing the flying services of the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company’. In 1935 alone, he had logged over 448 hours flying time, covering approximately 44,800 miles (72,000 km).

Archibald retired in 1939 after 38 years with Cominco. He became a senior mining consultant, maintaining an active interest in mining engineering from his Toronto office. He served for many years as a Director of de Havilland Aircraft of Canada. He died in Toronto, Ontario, on November 10, 1949.

William Munroe Archibald was inducted as a Member of Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame in 1974 at a ceremony held in Edmonton, Alberta.

CF – ADF DH – 60M Puss Moth forced landing at Priest River, Idaho
c. 1929

CF – ADF DH – 60M Moth being hauled away after forced landing at Priest River, Idaho
c. 1929

CF – ADR DH – 60M Moth forced landing at Priest River, Idaho
c.1929

DH – 89 Rapide G – ADNA in flight

CF – AGT DH – 80A Puss Moth at Creston Falls, BC

CF – AGW DH – 80A Puss Moth

Alice, Donald, Mrs. & Mr. Archibald with DH – 80A Puss Moth

Mr. & Mrs. W.M. Archibald (at right)

Alice Archibald at Creston, BC
c. 1930

CF – ASO Sikovsky S – 38C