Digging Into Thomas McMeekin - The First Steps

My starting point is the Personnel Records of the First World War Soldiers on the Library and Archives Canada website. It's one of the best resources we have for following the actual paper trail left by the soldiers who fought in the Great War.

Since I already know Thomas's rank (Private), service number (69330), and regiment (43rd Canadian Infantry, the Cameron Highlanders), I can zero in on his file quickly. And once opened, I'm staring at 60 pages of pay sheets, medical forms, and every variety of military accountability paperwork you can imagine.

If you've ever served, you know exactly what I'm looking at. The military generates documents the way classrooms generate scrap paper, constantly and everywhere.

What I Learn Right Away

A quick skim through the file gives me some solid anchors.

Thomas' full name is Thomas Douglas Aiton McMeekin, born February 3rd, 1887, in London, England. He signs his attestation papers on January 2nd, 1917. He lists his trade as Teacher, and declares he is not married (bookmark that detail).

Physically, he stands 5 feet 9 inches, with a medium complexion, blue eyes, and dark brown hair. His medical exam stamps him "FIT." Basic, but helpful.

His next of kin is listed as his father, Thomas D. A. McMeekin. Yes, the exact same name. I'm sure nothing confusing will ever come of that.

The file also shows that he's wounded twice: once by gas and once by a bullet. Those kinds of details aren't just data points; they shape how I imagine his service and the tone of his kit.

And remember that "not married" bit? Well, buried in the later paperwork is a line permitting him to marry on January 22nd, 1919, while he was convalescing in England from his bullet wound. Later, his father's name is crossed out as his next of kin and replaced by Mrs. H. D. McMeekin, living at Cross Farm, Hadleigh, Essex, and listed as Wife.

It's a great start, and a path full of breadcrumbs to follow.

“Attestation Paper: Thomas Douglas Aiton McMeekin.” Library and Archives Canada, RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 7108 – 28, Item 134419, Ecopy 537410a. Accessed [Nov 2, 2025]

The Question I Wish I Could Ask Him

As I read through the early paperwork, one question keeps circling in my mind:

How long did Thomas think the war would last when he signed up?

In the early months of the war, young men worried it would be over before they even reached France. But Thomas signed his attestation in January 1917, almost three years into the conflict. He's nearly 30, he has a career, and he's seen, through letters and newspapers, how brutal the fighting has become.

There's a declaration every soldier has to sign:

"hereby engage and agree to serve in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force… for the term of one year, or during the war now existing between Great Britain and Germany should that war last longer than one year, and for six months after the termination of that war…"

Reading that line now, knowing how the first three years unfolded, I find myself wondering what was going through his mind. Was he expecting the end to be near? Was he resigned to something longer? Was this duty? Pressure? Personal conviction?

Conscription chatter was in the air by early 1917, but the Military Service Act didn't become law until August 29th, 1917, months after Thomas enlisted. So, whatever his reasoning, he stepped forward voluntarily.

To Recap

So to recap, A teacher from Willowview, Manitoba, named Thomas D. A. McMeekin. He was born February 3rd, 1887, in London, England, and served with the 174th Battalion CEF Cameron Highlanders of Canada. He was injured twice and married while recovering. Not a bad start, but still a ways to go.

-Dan Barnfield

References

McMeekin, Thomas Douglas Aiton. Personal Record. Regimental no. 693300. Personal Records – First World War, RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 7108-28, Item 134419, ecopy no. 537410a. Library and Archives Canada. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=pffww&idnumber=134419&ecopy=537410a. Accessed [Nov 2, 2025]

Preston, Richard A. “Military Service Act.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 7 Feb. 2006, updated by Patrick Dennis, Tabitha de Bruin, and David Joseph Gallant on 30 June 2022. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/military-service-act. Accessed [Nov 2, 2025]