Administrator.
Born at Moncton, New Brunswick on 28 July 1878, son of Edward Forbes and Sarah Lowell Wallace Forbes, he was educated at Mt. Allison University at Sackville, New Brunswick, graduating with an Arts degree. He came to Manitoba in 1908 and was employed by the federal government.
At the outbreak of the First World War, he joined the 10th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and went overseas in September 1914. He subsequently transferred to the 15th Battalion of the 48th Highlanders of Canada, and saw service at Givenchy, Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Sanctuary Wood, Somme, and Arras. He was promoted to Major in 1915 and Acting Lieutenant-Colonel in 1918. He commanded the battalion from December 1917 to May 1918, and was wounded at Sanctuary Wood and gassed at Arras. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (Sanctuary Wood) in June 1916 and was mentioned three times in dispatches.
On returning from overseas, he was appointed Demobilization Officer for Manitoba and Western Ontario and afterwards was an Auditor of the Customs and Excise Department. He was appointed to Commissioner of the Manitoba Division of the Canadian Red Cross on 1 June 1924.
On 30 June 1900, he married Laura Louise Rome (?-?) and they had one son and four daughters. The family lived at 72 Harrow Avenue, Winnipeg. He was a member of the Masons (King Edward Lodge, Motor Country Club, Winnipeg Sketch Club, and Anglican church.
He died at his home in Toronto, Ontario on 2 May 1957. He is commemorated by Forbes Road in Winnipeg.
Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.
Obituary, Toronto Daily Star, 3 May 1957, page 40.
We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 29 February 2024
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