Archibald Burns Laird signatureArchibald Burns Laird died in training at Camp Mohawk near Deseronto on this day in 1918. The Royal Air Force report of his death notes the following details:

…Date of Casualty: 24.6.18
Where occurred: Canada North west corner of aerodrome Camp Mohawk
Type of Machine: Curtiss JN4 C149
Nature and Cause of Accident: Machine got into a nose dive. Same was apparently pulled out too quickly.
Result of Accident: Killed
Name of other Occupant of Machine: Nil

There is a photograph in the Deseronto Archives collection of this aircraft after a nose dive, although this accident happened in Texas. After Laird’s crash, the aircraft was described as “totally damaged”.
Curtiss JN-4 aircraft C149 after a nose dive

Laird joined the Royal Flying Corps in Toronto on November 28th, 1917 with the regimental number 153073. He was five feet nine and a quarter inches tall and was training with 79 C.T.S. at Camp Mohawk when he died. He was born in the town of Essex, Ontario, on March 26th, 1897, one of twin sons of James Steward Laird and Mary (née Beattie). His twin, John Bruce Laird, had joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force on February 2nd, 1916 (he survived the war).

Laird was buried in Cottam Cemetery, Essex, Ontario.