: Dear John I too am looking for some ancestral history. I also had a grand father named John Patrick McNamara who passed away in the early to mid 60's, I was checking the web site " Libary and Archives Canada" (this is the link to soldiers of the first world war) http://www.collectionscanada.ca/02/02010602_e.html
What is neat is that there are two John Patrick McNamara with a copy of their enrollment papers,service number, signature of the applicant next of kin place/date of birth etc.check that out.
: I also had a member that worked for the railroad, I don't know if it was my grandfather or my great grandfather, but my brother has this old railroad pocket watch that has been passed down and I'm tring to find the story behind the watch. My grandfather married a Emily Dearden, they had three kids, Mildred(Breslin), Eileen (Fordyce)and my Dad John Gordon, all are now deceased. they would have been in there late70's early 80's now, they grew up in Montreal Quebec.
hope this helps
Alan John McNamara