William Kellock McKay

William McKay was born in Britain. He joined the Royal North-West Mounted Police in August 1914 and his first posting was to Whitehorse and Lower Laberge in 1915.((“William Kellock McKay fonds,” Glenbow Museum 2019 website: https://www.glenbow.org/collections/search/findingAids/archhtm/mckay.cfm))

During the First World War McKay deserted from the police and boarded a train to Skagway on February 14, 1916. Canadian Immigration tried to apprehend McKay at the Alaska border by ordering the train to back up into Canada, but he jumped off on the American side and waited until the train was underway before re-boarding. He reached England in March and enlisted with the 1st King Edward's Horse where he served with distinction. He was pardoned in 1920 in light of his services rendered during the war.((Helene Dobrowolsky, "A Sense of Detachments: Selected Yukon Police Post Histories," Yukon Government Heritage Studies Project, page 23, from the Diary of Canst. William Kellock McKay, RNWMP, Yukon Territory, 1915 at the Glenbow Archives, Calgary.))

The Glenbow Museum in Alberta holds the William Kellock McKay fonds that includes a copy of Constable McKay’s RNWMP diary from 1915; personal papers and reminiscences, 1914-1963; and photographs, 1914-1916. The photos include RNWMP members, life on the Yukon River, 1910-1911 and RNWMP life in Whitehorse 1914-1915.((Glenbow Museum, Constable William K. McKay photographs, 2019 website:  http://ww2.glenbow.org/search/archivesPhotosResults.aspx?XC=/search/archivesPhotosResults.aspx&TN=IMAGEBAN&AC=QBE_QUERY&RF=WebResults&DF=WebResultsDetails&DL=0&RL=0&NP=255&MF=WPEngMsg.ini&MR=10&QB0=AND&QF0=Remarks+|+File+number&QI0=NA-1663))