The History of Regimental Numbers and
Officer Numbers in the NWMP, RNWMP and the RCMP
Officer Numbers in the NWMP, RNWMP and the RCMP
Upon successfully being accepted into the Force, every member is designated a 'Regimental Number'. Its abbreviation is 'Reg.#'. The idea of assigning a Regimental Number to a member is not unlike being assigned a health card number or a social security number. In short, the assigned Regimental Number becomes the member's unique identification. A Regimental Number distinguishes one member from every other RCMP member.
Imagine, however, if the numbering system gets mixed-up from the beginning? The mix-up leads one into confusion. Recall that there were no computers to help police recruiters who had gone out to various points in Canada -- there was no centralization, thus tracking Reg.# as they were given out, was simply a difficult and uncertain task.
Researchers who delved into the history of the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) soon discover considerable confusion over the Regimental Number identification system which was implemented upon birth of the Force. Toronto Vet. Jack O’Reilly has kindly researched Regimental Numbers and he provides the following explanation.
The March West and early days (1873 to 1878). Regimental Numbers from 1873 to 1878 were prefixed with a small 'o' to indicate the Original Series. As more recruits were hired, sequential numbers were assigned to each man beginning with o.1 and upwards. Examples of these small 'o' Regimental Numbers can be seen in the National Grave Databank.
Meanwhile, however, the Comptroller's Office in Ottawa was also assigning numbers. Apparently, these numbers were not assigned in sequence. For instance, if a man quit or was fired, the new man was simply given a former member's number. Comptroller’s numbers or (Ottawa Original Series) were prefixed with large zero's as in OOSxxx. So, from the outset, this dual system (small o's and large O's) and the recyling of numbers led to confusion.
In 1878, an attempt was made to remedy the Regimental Number system, but more confusion was added to the mix. For instance, when a NWMP quit then decided to rejoin, a letter was added to their first original Regimental Number and it was squeezed in among other sequential Regimental Numbers. Thus, one will find situations of a letter plus a Regimental number such as 'Reg.#948A'.
Commissioned Officers' Numbers
Any Officer in the Force, from the earliest days, received a Queen's {or King's} Commission. Even if he was, or had been, an Officer in the Canadian Militia or British Military. Every man who joined the Force as an Officer, or was commissioned from the ranks, received such a Commission.
Politics entered very heavily into Commissions in the early days of the Force. Historian Don Klancher said: 'Over the years, I've encountered numerous documents where individuals wrote the Prime Minister, their Member of Parliament, or someone else with influence, seeking a commission in the NWMP for their son, nephew, brother, etc., or in some cases, for themselves.'
Don Klancher also referred to an article published in the March 9, 1894-edition of the Macleod Gazette, read, in part: '...The force could develop men to fill vacancies in the upper ranks, but influence at Ottawa is now the key to inspectorships that should be within the reach on merit. '... If officers for the North West Mounted Police are still being pitchforked into the force through political influence at Ottawa, it is high time it were put a stop to. ..."
Don reported the following which is from the Collections Canada website: 'The rank of Officer was always highly sought after. All officers were appointed by the federal government by Order in Council and received the Queen's Commission. Since all appointments were made by the government of the day, it helped to have political or personal connections with those in power. Regional and religious considerations, always important in 19th-century government appointments, also influenced the choice of one man over another.
According to historian Rod Macleod, no NWMP officer received his first commission or subsequent promotion without some political influence or consideration, although some military experience was an asset. Edward Dalrymple Clark, the Force's first Paymaster and Quartermaster, (Edmund Dalrymple Clark, served 1873-1880.) was related by marriage to Sir John A. Macdonald and owed his appointment to him.
Romeo Prévost, a militia officer with the Victoria Rifles of Montréal, lobbied the government for a commission for two years. Prévost himself wrote to the Prime Minister in February 1880 and to such prominent Conservatives as Hector Langevin. J.A. Chapleau approached Macdonald on his behalf. On January 24, 1882, Prévost and A.B. Perry, a graduate of RMC (and a future Commissioner) were commissioned inspectors at $1,000 per annum.
Richard Burton Deane, a one-time member of the Royal Marine Light Infantry, had connections through family with Sir John A. Macdonald. He was appointed in 1883 and enjoyed a successful career with the Mounted Police for over 30 years. In retirement, he wrote one of the best memoirs by a member of the NWMP, 'Mounted Police Life in Canada: A Record of Thirty-one Years' Service (1916).'
While connections were important, most Officers appointed between 1873 and 1904 had some real qualification for the position, usually experience with the Canadian militia. Several were graduates of the Royal Military College (RMC) at Kingston, Ontario. Others had served with the British Army, the Royal Marines and in at least two cases, the American Army.
Many officers of the Mounted Police had fathers and grandfathers who had fought together during the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the 1837 Rebellion and the Fenian Raids. For the most part, the early Officers of the Mounted Police saw themselves serving as military rather than police officers." Many of these men preferred to be addressed by their military rank,; i.e. Major or Lieutenant Colonel.
The North-West Mounted Police did not immediately adopt an Officer Number system. One reason perhaps was because at the outset the Officer establishment in the NMP was only twenty-three men. Since everyone knew these early Officers, administrators did not consider it necessary to assign them a distinct Officer Number. Don Blancher clarifies this practice by stating that “For the vast majority (and possibly all) of the NMP officers, they served without an Officer Number.”
Eventually, however, the complement of Officers grew as did the duplication of surnames such as ‘Allen’ or ‘Smith’. As a result, sometime after 1900 it was decided to introduce a consecutive system of numbering for Officers based upon either the date of their appointment to the Force as an Officer coming into the Force, or the date they received a commission as a result of rising up through the ranks within the Force. Officers who had left the Force were assigned a number retroactively.
Unfortunately again, in the process of allotting Officers’ Numbers, three Officers were overlooked. The problem was likely the incompleteness of early records. When the errors were discovered, it was decided to modify the existing numbering system to accommodate the overlooked Officers rather than to renumber everyone. Accordingly, (Temporary) Commissioner W.O. Smith became Officer Number O.2 1/2, Inspector M.H. White-Fraser became Officer Number O.50A and Quartermaster C. Nicole became O.23 1/2.
A further unique discrepancy occurred in the case of Superintendent Walsh. As one of the first Officers appointed to the Force in 1873, he was allotted Officer Number O.7. But, in 1883, Walsh resigned his Commission. Fourteen years later, he re-engaged. He was re-instated as a Superintendent but he was issued a second Officer Number which was O.109.
The following table shows the Officer Numbers reached at the beginning of the years noted:
| Reg. No. | Year | Reg. No. | Year | |
| O.1 | 1873 | O.297 | 1940 | |
| O.42 | 1880 | O.401 | 1950 | |
| O.97 | 1890 | O.500 | 1960 | |
| O.117 | 1900 | O.693 | 1970 | |
| O.153 | 1910 | O.1162 | 1980 | |
| O.197 | 1920 | O.1290 | 1985 | |
| O.230 | 1930 | O.1541 | 1990 |
In the database, Officers who came to the NWMP/RNWMP/RCMP with a Commission are identified as 'JWC' meaning 'Joined with Commission'. The abbreviation 'JWC' was coined by Vet Jack White (now deceased) and used in his database and its use is continued in this database. ‘JWC’ identifies members who joined the Force as an Officer.
In 1998, Officer Numbers were discontinued. Instead, Commissioned Officers continued to use their original Regimental Number which had been assigned at the time of their engagement. The Officers engagement Regimental Number complied more simply with a new internal RCMP computer program. The last Commission to be assigned an Officer Number was O.1849.
Despite this change to Officer Numbers, a sprinkling of Officer Numbers began appearing again apparently on a temporary basis for pay purposes until the computer system changed over. In 2004, the computer glitch was fixed so Commissioned Officer Numbers began appearing again. Perhaps over time the gap of almost six years will be filled in little by little.
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