Military Chat

Not sure if this is the right place to be but here goes:-
Phillip McGhee was stationed at Ranby Camp in Nottinghamshire probably during 1917/1918. As far as I know he asked my Nan the directions for the Catholic Church in Retford. They started courting and at some point were engaged to be married and were to emigrate to Canada where they were to take over the running of a store for Phillips Uncle, however just before Christmas 1920 my Nan's Mother passed away and it seems my Nan wrote and broke the engagement off as she had to stay and look after her younger siblings.
Why I am looking for any family is that I am now in possesion of a pocket or piece of khaki uniform with a poem on and says From P McGhee 11th A & S Highlanders and would love to be able to send it to perhaps Grandchild or Great Grandchild if they wanted it.
Thank you for any help or guidance Teresa

The only record on Findmypast for the name P. McGhee in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders is this one (but the name is Patrick and not Phillip):-

First name(s) Patrick
Second service record Soldier Number: 387772, Rank: Private, Corps: Labour Corps
Last name McGee
Image link http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D3807501
Year 1914-20
Country Great Britain
Service number 977, 387772 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Medal type British Army Medal Index Cards, 1914-1920
Second service number 387772
Archive reference WO372/12
Rank Private,Private
Archive reference description Campaign Medal Index Cards and Silver War Badge Cards
Second rank Private
Record set Britain, Campaign, Gallantry & Long Service Medals & Awards
Regiment Argyll And Sutherland Highlanders, Labour Corps
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Second corps Labour Corps
Subcategory Medal Rolls and Honours
Service record Soldier Number: 977, Rank: Private, Corps: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Collections from Great Britain, UK None
The National Archives

There is also this record with the same first service number:-

First name(s) P
Archive The National Archives
Last name McGhee
Series description War Office: First World War Representative Medical Records of Servicemen
Birth year 1892
Piece MH 106/1424
Age 23
Register type Hospital admission and discharge registers
Admission year 1915
Description British and Colonial other ranks.
Hospital 4th Stationary Hospital
Record year range 1915 Oct.13-Oct.22
Rank Private
Country Great Britain
Service number 977 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Record set British Armed Forces, First World War Soldiers' Medical Records
Corps A & S Highrs
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Transferred to 9 Base Depot Etaples
Subcategory First World War
Discharge year 1915
Collections from Great Britain, UK None
Disharge date 24 Oct 1915

EDIT - I was wrong. There are other records for the name Phillip McGhee in the same regiment but nothing that gives names of family members.

Kath. x

Hi Kath, thank-you very much for looking. I know it was a long shot but thought it worth a try. Teresa x

???

A Philip McGhee, described as a grocer, set sail aboard the Saturnia from Glasgow to Quebec on 10th Sept 1920.

Philip was aged 23, but their age was recorded in the female column.

Record on FMP

A tree on Ancestry has the Philip McGhee who arrived in Quebec on 21st Sept 1920 as the son of Philip M McGhee and Margaret Rose McCafferty.

Philip Jr was said to be born Ayrshire c1898.

This Philip married Edith May Mathias 30th May 1930 at Niagara .

The couple had two sons. They had settled in Buffalo, Erie, New York by the early-mid 1930s, and this is where Philip died in Dec 1983, according to the tree I looked at.

No idea if he is the 'right' Philip Mc Ghee - EDIT: BUT SEE LATER POSTS

The 1940 US census shows Philip had the middle initial 'A', I don't know if that tied up with any of the military records Kath spotted.

Son John born 1939

Son Randolph born 1933

Philip's occupation plating/ auto trading

There is a medal card on the National Archives for a Phillip McGhee .

He has a service number for the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 10599

He also has a service number for the Labour corps 507146

There is a disability pensions record on Ancestry for a Philip McGhee born c 1897, residing Ontario Canada, Labour Corps 507146

I will send you screenshots, as I can't cut and paste on my tablet.

I think the Philip who went to Canada and raised a family there is almost certainly your man.

According to the tree on Ancestry, his parents also emigrated in the 1930s (EDIT 1929) to the U S.

The tree owner of the Ancestry tree was a female McGhee. The tree pre Philip and his parents is pretty sparse, so I suspect she is a descendant, rather than extended family.

You could contact her direct if you have access to Ancestry, and are convinced by the case I have put above.

If you don't have access, I would be happy to pass on your email details if you wanted me to.

There are other trees, I just opted for the one with the most records and sources, as I feel they are more trustworthy.

Just to beef up my argument a little more...

The Scotland Roman Catholic baptisms on FMP have a Philip Mc Ghee born 15th Dec 1896, baptised 27th Dec 1896 at St Margaret, Ayr, Ayrshire.

Parents are recorded as Philip and Margaret McGhee.

So it matches the Philip who went to Canada and then to Buffalo, parents match as per tree.

Also fits with him asking your Nan directions to the Catholic Church...

I sent image, as I can't c& p here.

Birth ??
St Quivox is in Ayrshire.

For full details (parents, etc) you can view and print a copy of the original birth cert from Scotlands People for 6 credits:

MCGHEE
PHILIP
M
1896
578/2 39
St Quivox

https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

The initial basic search is free, though you have to register.


Presumably the parents' marriage, to fit with all the info above:

MCGHEE
PHILIP
MCCAFFERTY
MAGGIE
1896
578/1 4
Ayr

Yes, that's right AG, as Philip Jr's birthplace in 1901 census is recorded as St Quivox.

I know you were just looking for Philip's descendants, but I had a quick poke around on the free searches on Scotland's People anyway.

At Tarbolton Ayr, on the 1911 census index, at the same census ref 619/3/12 were what I believe to be Philip and his parents and some more sibs ( he just had sister Jane in 1901), and probably his paternal granny (matches Ancestry Trees)

Mary Rae McGhee aged 74

*Philip McGhee aged 38

*Maggie McGhee aged 35

*Philip McGhee aged 14

Jane McGhee aged 12

Mary McGhee aged 9

Francis McGhee aged 5

Roderick Mc Ghee aged 2

There were other McGhee households also living in Tarbolton in 1911.

Hi Kucinta,
Sorry I couldn't get back to you last night. I have read through all the information you have found and I am pretty sure this is the right one. I am not on Ancestry, but I am giving you my e-mail and would love you to pass it on please. Also many thanks for what you have done. .
thank-you once again. Teresa

A thank-you to ArgyllGran for your information.

Kucinta.
I have a photo of Phillip with my Nan and another young lady whom my Auntie told me was Phillips sister.

Hi Teresa, best to remove your email from your post, as not supposed to post them here on a public forum.

I have made a note of it. Will message you later in the day when I have time, re trying to contact Philip's family. I wonder if the sister was Jane?