Chances of an incorrect archive filing?

[scottishlad]

I'll try to keep this as short as possible. My 2x great grandfather, Isaac McKenzie, regimental number 709069, to my knowledge was part of the 104th battalion and later the 26th battalion. However, while searching the Library and Archives of Canada, I discovered a court martial with the regimental number 709069 attached. There is no image or document attached to the listing, but there is a detailed description of the microfilm and where to find it.

Upon reviewing the microfilm, it is indeed for a Private McKenzie however I noticed that on the previous page before the actual trial recordings begin, it looks as though they wrote it as "McKenzie, T", not "McKenzie I". Now it is an english capital letter, not cursive, and so there's no confusing it for an I or a T, and there's no signs of any fading that may make a capital I look like a T.

I would chalk it up to an error on the recorders part, however I don't have any documentation that he was ever part of the 3rd Divisional Supply Column as the Private McKenzie in the court martial was a part of. The other concern is the date of the court martial was June 28th, 1916 which is the same day his unit, the 104th battalion shipped off to Europe. Would they have held a court martial the same day of departure? Seems unlikely.

I have many documents confirming that 709069 was my 2x great grandfathers number, and that he was part of the 104th and 26th battalions, but I do not have anything to confirm this court martial other than the Canadian Library and Archive seem to have associated his regimental number with the digital file. Perhaps whoever archived it mistook the T for an I and simply looked up any I McKenzie's, found my 2x great grandfather and filed it under his name?

Just a bit confused and hoping somebody can help me look into the matter. Would be very cool if I could prove this court martial was him. While not showing him in a great light, it would be his story nonetheless and a rare look into his personality and character.

Thank you!

Please see attached links to the original listing as well as the location of the microfilm:

https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=coumarwwi&IdNumber=11871&q=709069

https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_t8675/648

I guess the other thought that just came to me is slide 648 just isn’t associated with my grandfather? Just coincidence that a T McKenzie slide was next to my I McKenzie? Would make sense, but if that’s the case why does T McKenzie only have slide 648 attributed to him, and not multiple like my grandfather has 649-658 as far as I can tell.

[KGarrad]

What Regiment was he in?
Battalions are part of a Regiment.

[mckha489]

Have I got this wrong?
I am seeing those images applying to T. McKenzie no 37331.

[Andy J2022]

I'm not clear how your first link, which provides the following information:

Hierarchical level:
File
Date of Service:
1917/19/12-1918/29/07
Rank:
Private
Regimental number:
709069
Unit:
13th Res. Bn
Offence:
12(1a)
Reference:
RG150 - Ministry of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada, Series 8, File 649-M-13817, Microfilm Reel Number T-8675, Finding Aid Number 150-5
Type of material:
Textual records
Found in:
Genealogy / Military / Courts Martial of First World War
Item ID number:
11871

leads you to slide 648. Clearly the court martial proceedings (648 et seq) refer to a different soldier as can be seen clearly from the cover sheet shown in frame 646 of T-8675 (image below).
That aside, even if your 2 x great grandfather was court martialled, as mckha has pointed out, the frames 646 - 658 are not his court martial. Given that the frames seem to be in alphabetical order (the court martial before is for Pte Maddams and the one after is for SSgt Marshall) either the attribution of the court martial recorded in frames 646-658 to your 2x ggfather is a clerical error and he was never court martialled, or he was court martialled but the records are recorded elsewhere. I think you should use the 'Report a problem on this page' button to do just that.

[scottishlad]

Have I got this wrong?
I am seeing those images applying to T. McKenzie no 37331.

Yes the actual microfilm document appears to show that, however the digital file in the archives attributes my 2x great grandfather to the films which is why I was confused. It sounds like it was probably just an error on the archives part.

[scottishlad]

I'm not clear how your first link, which provides the following information:

Hierarchical level:
File
Date of Service:
1917/19/12-1918/29/07
Rank:
Private
Regimental number:
709069
Unit:
13th Res. Bn
Offence:
12(1a)
Reference:
RG150 - Ministry of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada, Series 8, File 649-M-13817, Microfilm Reel Number T-8675, Finding Aid Number 150-5
Type of material:
Textual records
Found in:
Genealogy / Military / Courts Martial of First World War
Item ID number:
11871

leads you to slide 648. Clearly the court martial proceedings (648 et seq) refer to a different soldier as can be seen clearly from the cover sheet shown in frame 646 of T-8675 (image below).
That aside, even if your 2 x great grandfather was court martialled, as mckha has pointed out, the frames 646 - 658 are not his court martial. Given that the frames seem to be in alphabetical order (the court martial before is for Pte Maddams and the one after is for SSgt Marshall) either the attribution of the court martial recorded in frames 646-658 to your 2x ggfather is a clerical error and he was never court martialled, or he was court martialled but the records are recorded elsewhere. I think you should use the 'Report a problem on this page' button to do just that.

Thank you! Yes it seems it was an error on the archives part. I’ll report it to them and see if they can get it corrected. Thank you so much for the help!

[jim1]

I would also ask if they can locate Isaac's as it would be interesting
to know where he went for the 7 months he went missing while
in the UK after his 2nd. wound.

[scottishlad]

I would also ask if they can locate Isaac's as it would be interesting
to know where he went for the 7 months he went missing while
in the UK after his 2nd. wound.

I have his personnel file so maybe I can find out, but he had just immigrated to canada from Scotland about 15 years prior and still had many family members in Scotland so perhaps he was with them. I do have a letter from his sister in law in Manchester written while he was in/out of hospitals immediately following the war. No year, but based on context I know it was written between 1918 and 1919.