Canadian Army WW 1

[marva]

My dad was in the Canadian army WW1, enlisted 10 May 1915, discharged 24 March, 1919. Medically unfit. Wounded in France. I have all his Army records, and many crossings back and forth from Scotland to Canada and Detroit, but I am unable to find his first crossing to Canada to join the Army. Was there such a thing as maybe the Canadian Government recruited from Scotland and brought them across? Just a thought, but I am at an unpassable place.

[Currie]

Hello Marva,

If you could provide some particulars regarding your father maybe someone else would be able to find the missing sea voyage. Name, occupation, date and place of birth, place of living in the years before the war, previous trips back and forth, stuff like that.

I doubt that the Canadian government would be recruiting people from Europe to fight in a European war only to send them all the way back again. Mid 1915 was very early in the war, before casualties to Empire troops became enormously high, and there was no shortage of local volunteers at that time.

More likely that he was in Canada, or the US, or somewhere else on that side of the world, felt the need to do his bit, and the Canadian Army was the most logical and convenient way of going about it. Although it’s not impossible that he could have made his own way to Canada from the UK specifically to join a Canadian regiment if he had a particular personal reason to do so.

Better disguise your email address, Marva, otherwise you’ll be pounced on by spammers.

All the best,
Alan

[marva]

My dad, John Craig, born 1889 Stonehaven, Scotland, son of John Craig and Anne m.s. Craig. He served in Canadian Army 1915 to 1919. I have found him going back to Scotland and returning in 1933. This would have been his last trip back. I have found his admission to U.S. May 24, 1924. which states previously in Detroit 1920. On all forms his occupation was: laborer. I have also found a possibility of an arrival 20 Mar 1913 on the Athenis, arrived St. Johns, New Brunswick, departed Glasgow. It states he had been in Detroit 9 years ago 1904 for 6 months. I cannot find this entry in 1904.

I can also remember as a child my dad talking about being in Suskatchian as a young man.

[paddyscar]

Hi Marva:

It was quite common for young men to come to Canada from the US to enter the forces, especially those who had emigrated from other British Empire colonies. They would readily be allowed entrance to Canada and the forces as members of the Empire.

Have you tried the free search this weekend on Ancestry? It gives access to immigration records, passenger lists and entry records for Canada/US borders. http://www.ancestry.com/

Might your father have been in Canada previously as a 'home child'?

Frances

[speleobat2]

Marva,

Have you tried FindMyPast yet? If you don't have a subscription maybe someone with one can help you out. I knew that my great aunt Jessie was first in the USA from the 1900 census records but I could never find her in the Ancestry passenger records. I did find her on FindMyPast, but I don't have a current sub. with them right now. They have the out going passenger records for the UK from 1890 until I forget when!

Carol

[marva]

I have been taking advantage of the free Ancestry for two days, one more to go. I have found more crossings for both my dad and my mother than I ever knew about. The only one I can figure out that I do not have for my dad is his original crossing and I never gave it a thought he may have come to the U.S. first and then to Canada. I will give it a try tonight and then there's always tomorrow (but then it's our Labor Day, what a way to labor)

For my mother, Margaret McArthur b 1902 Renfrew, Scotland, I have her original crossing, and one in 1933 where she stated she had been in Canada before, Sept 14,1924 to April 18, 1927. I cannot find her coming in, in 1924 or leaving in 1927, which I know she did.

Thanks for the in-put.

Marva