Donald MacKay (1885-1963)

[djct59]

Donald MacKay was born in Durness, Sutherland in 1885 and moved to Vancouver BC early in the 20th century. He joined the 62nd Battalion on the outbreak of WW1 - his service number was 464635. On leaving the army I believe he became a "Mountie", and late in life returned to his home village and married the sister of another Durness expat living in Vancouver.

If anyone can locate any Canadian military records I'd be most grateful, as I'm currently being asked to pay around 75GBP for a subscription to let me look at one record. Many  thanks.

[*Sandra*]

Canadian Attestaion Papers -

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=165652

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=165652

Digitalised - slow to load - http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B6923-S013



Sandra

[*Sandra*]

Death of Flora Mcrae/Mackay - 19 March 1950 Vancouver, British Columbia.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLR4-QD3

Marriage - 24 February 1914

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDZN-Z21

Sandra

[djct59]

Thanks for that. So he married before joining up, was discharged as medically unfit in 1917 and only returned to his home village after his first wife died. I see he was a "clerk", which ties in with the story that he worked in the post office run by the man who later became his brother-in-law.

It looks like Flora shave a couple of years off her age - there's a birth in Lochcarron under that name in 1889, but not another till 1895

[bbart]

Flora's death record has her birthdate as 06 Jun 1890.
Her address is given as 1949 W 37th, and from that in my 1943 directory I can see Don and Flora, where his occupation is given as clerk, PO.  (Just confirming what you stated!).

[djct59]

She did alter her date of birth. It was registered in Lochcarron, Ross-shire as June 5th 1889, parents John MacRae and Peggy Kennedy. Birth was registered the same month.

For his part, Donald listing his father as Hugh MacKay is surprising, as no father's name appeared on his birth record (which is not to say he was wrong, just that it wasn't "official")

[*Sandra*]

Flora MacKay appears on a Canadian Passenger List - aged 27 years - married - had been in Vancouver 1913 - 1916 - travelled Liverpool to Halifax, Nova Scotia, - arrived 21 July 1917 - Olympic.

UK Incoming Passenger List 20 June 1916 -  Flora Mackay - aged 26 years - Montreal Quebec to Glasgow Scotland - on the Carthaginian - going to West End Lochcarron.

Reading the digitalised file - This covers the period when Donald was in England with 54 th Battn (which he joined in May 1916) - 9 April 1916 - 13 August 1916 and France 13 August 1916 - 25 October 1916 when he was wounded - returned to England 25 October 1916 - 13 May 1917 - returning to Canada 22 May 1917.

Sandra

[djct59]

That ties in with the military records. When Donald was on active service Flora returned to Lochcarron, Ross-shire and her next of kin details are changed to ones in Scotland. He was known as <i>Sgiobhair</i> - Gaelic for "skipper", which doesn't really make sense when he worked in the post Office. He's buried two miles from where he was born, but listed as from Vancouver, and his gravestone has a Maple Leaf emblem affixed.

[Rosinish]

He's buried two miles from where he was born, but listed as from Vancouver, and his gravestone has a Maple Leaf emblem affixed.

This was probably to save £s as lettering on a MI was per letter rather than 'Died in'...6 letters...'From' was only 4 letters?
People who knew him would know what was meant but they didn't think of relatives researching all these yrs later 

As for Flora & her age, a year or 2 is nothing at all & I can assure you it's not the 1st time I've given the wrong age by simply forgetting what year it was when asked my age! 

Annie