Missing in Action: A Family’s Search For Answers (1917)
After Royal Flying Corps pilot William McRae is reported missing, his family entered a period of agonizing uncertainty. Letters, telegrams, and official correspondence with military authorities, the Red Cross, and other organizations became their only means of learning what had happened to them.
Each new communication brought hope, frustration, and uncertainty. These documents reveal the emotional toll of waiting, searching, and desperately seeking news of a loved one list in war.
These letters are part of the William McRae Letter Collection (WWI Series)
Read the previous letters in the series here: William McRae Main Page
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About William McRae
William Gordon McRae was born in 1897 in Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada and he was the oldest of 10 children to Ambie, a founding member of the local chapter of the Women’s Institute, and John the reeve (think mayor) of the community where they lived and farmed.
William was eager to learn how to fly and built his own airplane including propeller. He left home to train under Billy Bishop in the Royal Flying Corps before heading overseas to fight in World War One.
The Telegram No Family Wants to Receive
In the previous post, the McRae family received an evening telegram which was already known to be a sign of bad news. It alerted the family that on September 21, 1917, William McRae failed to returned from one of his first operational patrols over France. Only a few weeks earlier had he completed his training and joined No. 19. Squadron.
Reported Missing: The Letters of William McRae (1917)
When the McRae family received the telegram informing them that William was missing, it shattered the optimism that filled William’s letters home throughout 1916 and 1917. William wrote his last letter home only days before he was reported missing. It would have come after this telegram.
When military authorities reported a soldier missing, families became trapped between hope and grief. They were desperate for answers on about William and immediately started reaching out overseas for information.
Living Between Hope and Grief
During the First World War, thousands of Canadian families like the McRae’s received notifications that their soldier was reported missing, but very few details were provided. Everyday brought a mix of anxiety, dread, and uncertainty for the families while they waited for news.
Was William a prisoner of war? Was he injured and unable to contact home or his squadron? Maybe he crashed behind enemy lines? Maybe news of his safety is on it’s way already. Families were left to imagine countless possibilities while they wait for news. The First World War claimed millions of lives, but the impact went far beyond the battlefield. While communities could support each other with a confirmed death, they were in limbo with what to do when someone was reported missing. This is explained in the letter to William’s father, John, from his council.
This collection of correspondence preserved in the William McRae collection reveals the lengths that the families would go to in the hopes of finding out news of their loved ones. The responses rarely gave definitive answers.
Mother – Ambie McRae
Father- John McRae
Siblings- Vernice & Hugo
Siblings – Nichol, Sally, Evan (Friend),and Clarence
William’s mother, Ambie kept all 50 letter safe and preserved in memory of her son. They now are kept safe at the Agassiz-Harrison Museum. They are a reminder of how war affected not only those who fought, but their families left behind. For the McRae family, the search for William became it’s own ordeal. Stay tuned for the final post in the series.
Letters
Letter to Mr. John McRae- September 22, 1917
France
Sept 22nd 1917W.G. McRae Esq.
Agassiz, British Columbia
Sir-I regret very much to have to write to confirm the distressing news which, you will have received by cable already, that your son, Second Lieutenant W.G. McRae is reported missing.
We realize what anxiety this news must have caused you, especially since it comes so soon after that of his arrival here in France – and I haste to send you what particulars I can of his disappearance.
Before I go further I should like to send you the sweetest sympathy in this anxiety and Major S—- (the Officer Commanding this Squadron) has asked me to saw that only the unusual pressure of work at the present time, prevents him from writing to you himself at present. Briefly allow us here to tell you in as follows.
Your son set out with five other aeroplanes at about 9. A.M. yesterday morning 21st. They had crossed the lines when they were suddenly attacked from above by an unusual number of gunnery machines.A usual fight ensured, in which one of the —- machines was destroyed but afterwards only three out of our six machines came back.
The flight as far as I can gather was short but while it looked
butwas very fierce and none of the pilots can say definitely when they last saw the missing aeroplanes. Such a happening is almost without equal and it has struck us as being so unusually awful that your son, who had so new came out here, should have ch—d to be a —- Their number on the day that a fierce Combat took place.It seems very hard lines and in writing a letter of this sort one has the feeling that one hardly knows what to say. I can only put forward the hope that he may be a prisoner of war – & yet, one hesitates even to do that.
It is very hard to form any opinion in a case of this sort but to be quite frank Major S— and I are of the opinion that he may equally be a prisoner of war here or have been killed. The likelihood is assigned one way as the other.
This I know must be for you most distressing reading, yet I cannot but be quite not spoken and I know up would wish we to tell you just what we know and think.This is difficult to imagine that he may be a prisoner.
Many pilots have had a chance shot through their engines and have been freed. And have been freed to land on the country side of the lines.
We find from what experience we have had that the best way to get news is to write to the Red Cross at Geneva & I suggest that you do this at once as they are always willing and may be able to help you. Sometimes we get news through other means and should an y come through at any time you will be informed at once by cable.
The whole Squadron would send you a message of the most sincere sympathy, and for myself I find difficulty in expressing all that I would. The present pressure of work also, (already mentioned) makes it difficult for me to write as fully as I should like; but if there are any further particulars that you would like to have, or any questions I can answer for you I am always ready to do so.
Believe me —
Your very —-
Ronald Machald
Lieut.
Records Officer,
No:19 Squadron
Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps Letter to Mr. John McRae- September 25,1917
The Royal Flying Corps
Aid Committee
And R.F.C. Prisoners’ FundSept 25th
Dear Sir,
I should be obliged if you would let me know when you have news of your son, 2/Lt. G.W. McRae, who we regret to learn, was reported missing on Sept 21st. We shall be glad to assist you in any way we can. If your son is a prisoner I can send you particulars of the parcels we can send.
Yours faithfully
P.P. E. Pryor
Hon. Sec.
P.S. As soon as we get your son’s address we will send him parcels until we can hear from you
District of Kent Letter to Mr. John McRae – September 28, 1917
1986.085.021
CORPORATION OF THE DISTRICT OF KENT
Office of the Clerk
Agassiz, B.C., Sept 28th 1917
John McRae Esq: J.P.
Reeve
Kent Municipality.Dear Sir:-
I am requested by Councillors to write to you expressing their very deepest sympathy for yourself, Wife, and family, in the bad news you have received from “The Front”.
The only reason we have delayed, is hoping that you would receive better news which we trust will reach you before this letter.
For the Councillors
Kent Municipality
Yours very sincerely,Raignald M. Buddell
C.M.C.
Shipping Agency’s Letter Mr. John McRae – October 6, 1917
1986.085.024b
Cox’s Shipping Agency Ltd.
16, Charing cross,
London, S.W.1.6th. October 1917.
Sir,At the request of the Officer Commanding the 19th. Sqd. R.F.C., we beg to inform you that we have received from Expeditionary Force on package No. BR.66002, in the name of 2nd. Lt. W.G.McRae, General List and 19/Sqd,R.F.C.
We regret that we are unable to forward same, as it will be necessary for you to apply to The Secretary, War Office, Effects Branch, Imperial Institute, London S.W.7., i8n order to obtain possession thereof.
We are, Sir,
Your obedient servents,
for COX’S SHIPPING AGENCY LIMITED,Manager.
W.G.McRae, Esq,
Agassiz,
British Columbia
CANADA.
Why Letters Like These Matter to British Columbia History
The William Gordon McRae letters offer a detailed record of a young pilot eager to learn how to fly and to serve in the military. With each letter home to his mother, Ambie, we get a personal look at what war was like for the soldier.
Preserved today at the Agassiz-Harrison Museum & Archives, the William McRae letters and personal photographs and other supporting photographs, are kept so that future generations can know the history of Agassiz, British Columbia and it’s people.
Related Posts
Royal Flying Corps Squadron Training
William McRae Letters (1917): Canadian Pilot Training
Training for War in Oxford: William McRae’s 1917 WWI Letters from England
Want to Read More Letters from Agassiz?
Check out the Hazeley Letter Series that was written in 1896-1897.
Editorial Note: How These Letters Are Used
The letters this post are transcribed verbatim from original manuscripts held at the Agassiz-Harrison Museum & Archives. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation have been preserved to maintain the integrity of the original documents. Editorial introductions and historical context have been added to assist modern readers and to situate the letters within the broader social and historical landscape of twentieth-century British Columbia.
This post forms part of an ongoing research and transcription project telling the stories of British Columbians.
