Find Ancestors

Link to the 2014 thread:

https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1344247

It's all very confusing.

I wish I knew how much of Susan's info is provably correct, and how much might have just been assumed to be correct, maybe from online searches or other people's trees.

There were so many John MacDonalds (and other spelling) born around that time -
and at any other time too.

When I used to work in a Scottish hospital, there were far and away more casenotes for men named John MacDonald than for any other name.

If he was definitely called John Henderson M*Donald, and definitely born in Scotland, then the 1889 birth in Tarbert is the only one.

The change to the 1939 register is not necessarily correct.

Re his service record -
I'm sure it 's been said already in one or other thread, that huge numbers of WW1 records have not survived.

ErikaH- Read the 2014 thread....

No further forward me thinks........

AG- Thank you for the explanation on the 1939 Register.

1921 shows his birthplace as Tarbert

In 1939 the hotel name ends in ". . .leys".

It's Darley's Hotel:

https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/nostalgia/known-darleys-others-leaking-boot-1200189


Also this:

SITUATIONS VACANT

... required for new hotel opening shortly Cleethorpes.—Reply, stating age, wage, references, position required, J. Mac- Donald, Darleys Hotel, Grimsby-road, Cleethorpcs. ...
Published: Monday 02 January 1939
Newspaper: Grimsby Daily Telegraph
County: Lincolnshire, England

From apparently factual info on the other thread, it appears that many British soldiers were recruited to the 2nd Canadian Contingent - so John may never have been in Canada at all.

That was always the most likely scenario

Just for interest -

John wasn't at Darleys Hotel for long.


... A WELCOME AWAITS YOU AT THE DARLEY'S HOTEL, GRIMSBY ROAD, CLEETHORPES. Resident Manager: Christian Smythe. Late Eegle Hotel, Mablethorpe. Commercial Gentlemen especially Catered for. Tel.: 61530 Grimsby. I ...
Published: Saturday 17 February 1940
Newspaper: Louth Standard
County: Lincolnshire, England





It's Good News for You and You. Under New Management Darley’s Hotel Cleethorpes and meet the popular new manager Christian late the Eagle Mablethorpe You are sure of a welcome and of course Darley’s Fine Ales . .

Published: Monday 26 February 1940
Newspaper: Grimsby Daily Telegraph
County: Lincolnshire, England

If he stayed in Britain surely they're would be a medal card........hang on a minute......

Full Name
MacDonald, John H
Rank Private
Service Number 469216
Taken On Strength 23/08/1915 *************
Taken On Strength Location Sussex **************
Service Canadian Expeditionary Force ***************
Primary Unit
64th Battalion
Archive Reference
CEF Nominal Roll
Conflict Period
World War I
Served For
Canada
Views
1

Sorry, thought I had him

Full Name MacDonald, John H
Birth Place Canada ***************
Incident Date
23 Aug 1915
Rank Name
Private
Service Number
469216
Embarkation Date
31 Mar 1916
Embarkation Port
Halifax
Embarkation Ship
S.S. Adriatic
Next of Kin
MacDonald, Mrs
Next Of Kin Address
Havre Boucher, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia
Taken On Strength
Sussex
Service
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Primary Unit
64th Battalion
Archive Reference
CEF Nominal Roll
Conflict Period
World War I
Served For
Canada

I don't think he’d be awarded British medals for service in a Canadian force.

British War Medal (1914-1920)

This silver medal was awarded to officers and men of the British and Imperial Forces who either entered a theatre of war (an area of active fighting) or served overseas (perhaps as a garrison soldier) between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918 inclusive.
IWM

In that case, someone has a mammoth task ahead as there are almost 1600 listings for service medals for John Macdonald on FMP ;-) ;-) ;-)

Ah here we go, a bit more about him. From the Grimsby Evening Telegraph 10 Feb 1939.

'SERVED IN THE MOUNTIES

Mr J H Macdonald, manager of the new Darley's Hotel, could, one imagines, many a tale unfold.
Born in the West Highlands - and having, in consequence, a far less pronounced Scots accent than the Glaswegians and other Lowlanders that come South - Mr Macdonald's first experience of the hotel business was in Nice. He afterwards worked in Switzerland, Bombay and London before finding his way into the Canadian North - West Mounted Police, and thence, during the war, into the army, where he saw service in France with the Canadians.

EDITED to include Bombay and London, thanks ErikaH, don't know how I missed that out

Odd that Susan didn’t mention that………….

She is allegedly aware of ALL his history other than his time in Canada.

Fantastic find, BTW

Unlikely, one would think, that he was ever a motor mechanic as per the 2014 thread :-S :-S

A tree on ancestry has UK, British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 for J Macdonald, a Pte in the 43rd Canadian Inf, Regtl no 420441 (could be 430441 but think not)

Thanks Erika btw :-D

Incidentally, Jink, the losses of WW1 records are actually stated to be 60-65%……not 40%

Grasping at straws -

this man was a waiter :

John McDonald
in the Canada, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1865-1935
Name John McDonald
Gender Male
Race Scottish (Scotish)
Marital Status Single
Arrival Age 20
Birth Date abt 1891
Birth Place Scotland
Arrival Date 4 Jun 1911
Arrival Port Quebec, Canada
Final Destination Winnipeg
Ship Megantic
Religion Protestant
Occupation Waiter

AG- Great find.

Just for info

https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng/collection/research-help/genealogy-family-history/employment/Pages/nwmp-rcmp.aspx

In 1873, the federal government created the North-West Mounted Police to assert and enforce Canadian sovereignty. Their jurisdiction was in the North-West Territories (present-day Alberta and Saskatchewan).
Its jurisdiction expanded in:
1895 to include Yukon
1903 to include the Arctic coast
1912 to include northern Manitoba

So this in turn would reduce the number of Provices to those listed above as potential locations for attestation purposes.

Alviegal- Sorry not our chap

Full Name
Macdonald, James
Regiment Number
420441
Birth Place
N Uist, Invernesshire, Scotland
Residence [Blank]
Age [Blank]
Birth Date 7 Oct 1878 *********
Alternate Birth Date
[Blank]
Alternate Birth Date
[Blank]
Relative
Jessie **********
Relationship
Wife **********
Conflict Period
World War I
Served For
Canada
Publication Info
Publication title
WWI Canadian Soldiers
Content source