Notes
Archibald Graham Weir was born in Enfield, Middlesex on 11 July 1885, the son of Anna (née Ritter) and Archibald Weir, a barrister at law. He was educated at Marlborough College from 1899 to 1902 and entered Worcester College, Oxford on 16 October 1903 where he achieved 2nd class honours in French in 1907.
Archibald Weir was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on the Unattached List for the Auxiliary Forces on 1 August 1907 and was attached to the 1st Battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry on 9 October 1907. On 8 October 1910 Archibald Weir married Mary Bartlett; they had two daughters, Ellinor and Diana, and two sons, Adrian and Archibald.
Following the outbreak of the First World War, Archibald Weir landed in France in June 1915 where he joined No 4 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, based at Doullens. On 26 July 1915 he was forced to land behind enemy lines while on a reconnaissance flight and was taken prisoner. He was repatriated to England on 17 November 1918.
On 21 April 1941 Archibald Weir was on board the auxiliary transport ship SS Narissa when she set sail from Halifax, Nova Scotia, bound for Liverpool. On 30 April 1941 the ship was hit by torpedoes fired from U-Boat U-552, which caused a massive explosion. Wing Commander Archibald Weir was among those killed, aged 55. His son Flying Officer Archibald Weir DFC had been killed in action on 7 November 1940, and his elder son, Major Adrian Weir MC was killed in action on 28 February 1944.
Archibald Weir is buried at Kilcommon Erris Church of Ireland Churchyard in County Mayo, Ireland. He is commemorated on the war memorials at Marlborough College and Worcester College, Oxford.