MCLACHLAN, PTE. WILLIAM A. Reg. # 657837
William Arthur McLachlan was born July 9, 1894 in Magnetawan to Alexander ‘Pop’ McLachlan and Ada Sophia Smith
The family was identified as living in Chapman township in 1901, but more specifically as living in Magnetawan at the time of the 1911 census.
In his Attestation papers, signed April 2, 1916, William identified that he lived in Magnetawan and that he was a blacksmith.
In his Discharge Certificate, William was identified as enlisting in the 162nd in Burks Falls on April 3, 1916. He was identified as serving in the 1st Machine Gun Battalion.
He was discharged April 1, 1919.
William is identified as having arrived in Liverpool on November 11, 1916.
In December he was transferred to the 35th Reserve Battalion and then to the 63rd.
In September 1917 he was posted to the 1st MMGB (Motor Machine Gun Battalion).
In August 1918 he was identified as dealing with shell shock. But, in fact he had previously been diagnosed with ‘shell shock’ in April of 1918;
In 1921, William was identified as living in Magnetawan with his parents.
William married Pearl Strachan in Toronto on June 2, 1924. Both were identified as living in Magnetawan at the time of the marriage. William identified that he was a blacksmith. The couple returned to Magnetawan following the marriage. They had four children all born in Magnetawan.
William died in January of 1960 in Magnetawan.
The following is an insert from family:
“As per your IM from Ancestry I've finally managed to pull together some information about my grandfather William McLachlan.
The picture of him I've attached is from a very large picture of the 162nd Overseas Battalion (O.B.) which he was a part of in WWI. You can find this picture on Wikipedia if you Google 162nd Overseas Battalion (O.B.) and go to the Wikipedia link that Google will find for you.
I have copies of all of his military records and from those I've pieced together his WWI military history which I've included below. William was a machine gunner (ie. a tripod mounted machine gun).
I've also included a picture of his immediate family tree. William's oldest brother Alexander also fought in WWI as did his younger brother Guy, I'll send you what I have on Guy in a separate email. William's youngest brother Dougal fought in WWII, he was a cook in the army.
Sadly I never knew my grandfather and my dad never spoke much about him so I don't have much in the way of personal information / insight about him. I do know he was second generation Canadian. William's grandfather William McLachlan (1819-1866) came to Canada in 1823.
William McLachlan (1819-1866)(buried in Alton cemetery) -- Alexander McLachlan (1857-1940)(buried in Magnetawan) -- William McLachlan (1894-1960)(buried in Magnetawan).
William was born in Magnetawan and lived his whole life there (more or less). He was a blacksmith by trade, as was his father Alexander. He did leave Magnetawan for periods of time to go where the work was with logging camps and other companies but his home and family remained in Magnetawan to which he always returned and where he's buried.
He married Pearl Strachan (1893-1980), also of Magnetawan, on 2 June 1924.
William and Pearl had 4 children; 6 grand children; 8 great grand children; 2 GG grand children (at the moment, more to come I'm sure.
WWI MILITARY HISTORY OF WILLIAM A. McLACHLAN
William A. McLachlan; Regimental Number – 657837; "A" Company] 162nd Overseas Battalion (O.B.)
Canadian Expeditionary Force (C.E.F); Canadian Machine Gun Corps (CMGD); Canadian Expeditionary Force (C.E.F)
22 Years old
Apr. 3, 1916 - Enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Burks' Falls, Ontario, Canada
Nov. 1, 1916 - Embarked for England from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Mar. 23, 1919 - H.M.S. Empress of Britain (ship that brought him home to Canada) 24 Years old
William McLachlan served over seas for 2 years and 4 months.
As best as I (Gregory McLachlan) could piece William McLachlan's military history from multiple military documents with conflicting dates and often semi-legible hand writing.
1916 Apr 3 - Enlisted at Burk's Fall's, Ontario, Canada
1916 (Aug) - Camp Niagara, Ontario, Canada
Nov. 1, 1916 - Embarked for England from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Nov. 11, 1916 - Disembarked, Liverpool, England
Nov. 11, 1916 - Appointed Acting Lance Corporal
Dec. 5, 1916 - Transferred to 35th Battalion
Dec. 5, 1916 - TOS 35th Battalion, C.E.F. Camp West Sandling, England
Jan. 2, 1917 - Reverted to rank of Private at own request; C.E.F. Camp West Sandling, England
Jan. 2, 1917 - Transferred to Canadian Machine Gun Depot, Crowborough; C.E.F. Camp West Sandling, England
Jan. 4, 1917 - Transferred to 4th Reserve Battalion; C.E.F. Camp West Sandling, England
Jan. 11, 1917 - TOS Canadian Machine Gun Company (C.M.G.D.), Crowborough; C.E.F. Camp West Sandling, England
Mar. 25, 1917 - Adm. CETD lines
Mar. 28, 1917 - Camp hospital (Mumps?)
Jul. 11, 1917 - Arrived France and TOS Canadian Machine Gun Reserve Pool
Sep. 1, 1917 - SOS to 1st M? Machine Gun Brigade
Sep. 2, 1917 - TOS to 1st M? Machine Gun Brigade
Sep. 4, 1917 - Joined unit
Mar. 1, 1918 - Transferred to Canadian Machine Gun Corps yesterday (not sure)
Mar. 1, 1918 - SOS to CMC and Posted to 1st MMGB
Mar. 25, 1918 - Camp hospital sick
Mar. 29, 1918 - Abundid (Shell Shock)
Mar. 30, 1918 - (not sure)
Mar. 29, 1918 - (not sure)
Mar. 30, 1918 - (not sure)
Apr. 29, 1918 - Class a. (295-2)
May 5, 1918 - Arrived from (not sure)
May 8, 1918 - SOS 1st M? Machine Gun Brigade to 1st M? Machine Gun Brigade
May 8, 1918 - TOS 1st M? Machine Gun Brigade from Do
May 11, 1918 - Left for CCRC (Canadian Corps Reinforcement Center - Centre in France where Troops were held before being sent to reinforce existing units.)
May 14, 1918 - Arrived from base (at the CCRC)
Jun. 7, 1918 - SOS to 1st M? Machine Gun ?
Aug 10, 1918 - Initally diagnosed as Shell Shot ? as Not Yet Diagnosed N?
Aug ?, 1918 - Shell Shock (W) ? Base
Aug 17, 1918 - Granted 14 days leave to United Kingdom
Aug 25, 1918 - Above (Aug ?, 1918) changed to read ?
Aug 31, 1918 - Rejoined from leave
Jan. 24, 1919 - SOS 1st Canadian Machine Gun Brigade onto ?
To England from base posted ?
Canadian Machine Gun Depot Seaford
Jan. 24, 1919 - SOS to CMSGD
Feb. 4, 1919 - TOS from CMG?D
Mar. 12, 1919 - SOS to M.D. Wing 2 Rhyl
Mar. 23, 1919 - Sailing no. 33; Resp. area 2; Em? Roll 34
Mar. 23, 1919 - SOS to Canada Sailing #33
Mar. 23, 1919 - H.M.S. Empress of Britain (ship that brought him home to Canada)
Mar. 23, 1919 - TOS No. 2 District ? Toronto
Apr. 1, 1919 - Discharged from Her Majesty's Ship; No. 2, D.D., Part II, D.O. No. 104
