True and Fascinating Canadian History
has ever graduated from Depot's Drill Hall
Dublin, 'Depot', Dynasties & Descendants
RCMP Vets. Ottawa, ON
It is widely accepted that the name given to the RCMP's principle home in Regina, SK affectionally known as 'Depot' originated from the Royal Irish Constabulary's 'Depot' in Dublin, Ireland. p.191.
From the earliest days of the North West Mounted Police beginning in 1873, there have been hundreds and hundreds of famous people who have joined the Force. They marched on the grounds at 'Depot' Division, Regina, Saskatchewan. The reason for them to have joined might be as interesting or as varied as their family name -- was their motive to join the Force adventure or avoidance?
Without any doubt, the names of the famous have added legend, colour and flavour to the Force; we recall in days of old, Commissioner George Arthur French, Superintendent Steele and Guide Jerry Potts. In the modern era, one thinks of Superintendent Bud 'Bullets' Johnstone who died in 2016 and Chief Superintendent Jack White who also passed away not long ago, as well as many, many other pioneer members of the Force.
One can reflect back in time and imagine police recruits also undergoing Basic Recruit Training at Dublin's 'Depot' or at the RCMP's 'Depot' in Regina, SK. 'Maintain Our Memories'.
I wish to thank all the RCMP Vets who have contributed especially to this page of memories.
Source & Appreciation: Hulgaard, William J & White, John W. Honoured In Places. Heritage House Publishing Co., Ltd. Surrey, BC. 2002. p. 191.
Web2016.jpg)
The brother of actor Ryan Reynolds is Reg.#49247, Terry Reynolds a member of the Force.
Courtesy of the RCMP Veterans' Association. 2020
Renowned jazz singer, Diana Krall has a sister, Reg.#40149, Michelle Krall who also served in the Force.
Courtesy of the RCMP Veterans' Association. 2020
Reg.#4002, Constable Robert James Gibson joined the Force as an engineer in 1903. At 'Depot' shortly afterwards, he appeared in Service Court for, 'being intoxicated at Almeda, SK. and for having run his horse into 4 horse plows'. He was fined $10. plus 4 months Hard Labour. On October 18, 1903, the unexpired portion of sentence was remitted and Gibson was 'dismissed' from the NWMP. After the NWMP, he became a Medical Doctor and during WWI Gibson served honourably in the C. E. F. Medical Corps.
R. I. P. (Merle Armstrong, Vets London, ON.) 2016
For his good service in the NWMP, Reg.#154, Constable James Schofield received a free Land Warrant and eventually he established the Marna Lake Ranch on Marna Lake, near Pincher Creek, AB. During the construction of the Crow's Nest Pass for the Canadian Pacific Railway he operated several men's clothing stores stretching from Fort MacLeod, AB. to Cranbrook, BC plus a general store at Cowley, AB. He was the first Mayor of Pincher Creek, AB. Schofield Street in Pincher Creek is also named after him.
R. I. P. (Merle Armstrong, Vets London, ON.) 2016
And this colouful character should be mentioned. Reg.#22, David J. Cochrane alias 'Johnny Chinook'. At some point in his early career with the NWMP, he was arrested in southern Alberta for whiskey trading and rustling. He was tried before Inspector Crozier at Fort MacLeod, AB. and he was fined $100. His three horses, and his wagon, his saddles and the harness were also confiscated. Later, it was alleged that he stole a iron stove, piece by piece from the NWMP Detachment at Fort MacLeod, AB., until only the bare frame of the stove remained. Next, he poured water on the stove frame to increase its rust rate. When it had turned rusty, he approached the Officer I/c to give the stove to him, which the Officer did. But, that's not all. In late 1870's, he squatted on the Blood Reserve and refused to move until an Arbitration Board awarded him $3,500 and a free homestead. He promptly sold the new property and squatted on the Walrond Ranch where with threats etc, he extorted another $2,700. Only then, did he moved on. From: Robert Gard's book Johnny Chinook. 1945. Johnny Chinnock died in 1924. It was said that he was buried somehwere in the Yukon.
R. I. P.
Reg.#15, Constable John Lauder joined the NWMP in 1876, and after a short while he was promoted to Staff Sergeant. He served about two years in the Force and in the capacity of a Medical Surgeon even though he had not yet completed his medical training. After leaving the NWMP, he entered politics where he was elected several times to represent the North West Territories Legislature. John Lauder died in 1934. He was buried in Innisfail, AB.
R. I. P.
In 1904, Reg.#4258, Veterinarian Staff Sergeant Michael Vincent Gallaghan along wiith Dr. E. A. Watson identified the horse disease 'Maladie du Coit' & they developed a test to identify it. As a result of their scientific work, the disease was eradicated from Canada by 1920. Staff Sergeant Gallaghan's grave was found in Sault Ste Marie, ON.
R. I. P.
Reg.#5848, Wally Guy Pearce left the Force and moved to Hollywood, California. He became a Make-up-Artist first as Head of Fox Studios and then he moved on to London Film Productions in the same capacity.
R. I. P.(Contributor Merle Armstrong. Vets London, ON).
Boutilier Island, MB was named after Reg.#26428, David Ainslie Boutilier and especially to honour his civic contributions to the area at Caddy Lake, MB. Constable Boutilier died June 5, 1985 from cancer.
R. I. P.
(Contributor: Regina, SK Vet George Bliss).
Reg.#18676, Staff Sergeant James B. Hunter served honourably in the Force for over twenty years. After retirement, he devoted the remainer of his life and many years of long work heavily involved with local, provincial and federal governments on mental health issues, particularly schizophrenia. In 2006, he was awarded The Order of Canada. James Hunter died in 2010. He was buried in Sherwood Park, AB.
R. I. P.
Reg.#11673, Constable Archibald Frederick Plummer served with the Royal Navy in WW I. Following the War, he stayed in Canada to instruct the Royal Canadian Navy in the use of wireless. Later, he joined the Alberta Provincial Police (APP) which was absorbed into the RCMP in 1932. His place of burial is not known.
R. I. P.
Reg.#9855, Sergeant Eduard Joseph Gougeon was the grandfather of Mr. Dan Aykroyd, “Blues Brother” of TV and entertainment fame.
R. I. P.
Reg.#8098, Constable Ingvard Nielsen was the father of Hollywood actor Mr. Leslie Nielsen and of Mr. Erik Nielsen, former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada.
Mr Eric Nielsen was also the father of Reg.#33531, Constable Roxanne Nielsen
S/9167, Special Constable Beatrice Alice Sheldon was born in England. After she arrived in Canada, she married Reg.#6090, Cst. Frank Henry Sissons. When his term of service expired in 1917, he 'took his discharge' from the RCMP then he joined the Alberta Provençal Police (APP). Frank Sissons was killed on duty in 1921. After her husband was killed, Beatrice Sheldon-Sissons was later employed by the APP as a Matron. She continued in that capacity after the APP was absorbed into the RCMP in 1932. Beatrice died in 1972. Although her husband was buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Edmonton, AB Beatrice Sissons place of burial is not yet known.
R. I. P.
Reg.#R/1077, Reserve Constable Douglas Hammond Brock Roberts joined the Force in 1942. He died in Ottawa, ON on May 10, 1974, but his place of burial is not yet known. His father, Sir Charles G. Roberts, was a well known poet and writer who was widely known as the Father of Canadian Poetry.
R. I. P.
On April 6th 1916, Reg.#3603, Constable Charles Frederick Wray enlisted in the 61st Battery Canadian Field Artillery at Lethbridge AB. He arrived in France on the August 20, 1917 and served with the 14th Brigade C.F.A. On February 11, 1919 he was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the field. Constable Wray died in 1963. His grave was found in Portland, Oregon, USA by Merle Armstrong. Vets London, ON.
R. I. P.
Reg.#1704, Constable John Church Geldert joined the Force in 1885, but a few months later he 'Deserted' then he headed south to the USA. His travels took him to California where he found fame. Over the years, he was credited with starring in some of Hollywood’s early silent movies. In one movie, he played the role of father to Mary Pickford -- another famous Canadian actor. Further credit online said former Constable Geldert had been in a total of 127 films between 1915 and 1936. He died of a heart attack while on horseback while filming of a western production.
R. I. P. (Courtesy of Merle Armstrong. Vets London, ON. 2015).
Reg.#2476, Constable Herbert C. Denny had been educated as a Surveyor in Ontario before joining the NWMP. He “may” have been a brother of Reg.#o299 / O.299, Sir Cecil Edward Denis Denny, an Inspector of the NWMP who was on the 'March West' in 1874.
R. I. P. (Courtesy of Merle Armstrong. Vets London, ON. 2015).
Reg.#2445, Constable James Austin Smith, was a son of the Honourable Sir Frank Smith of Toronto, ON -- a former Member of Public Works and a Senator.
R. I. P.In 1927, Reg.#8681, Corporal Gordon Cameron, accompanied by three other members, went to Sulphur Creek, Yukon where a trapper had earlier threatened a member. In the subsequent shoot out, the trapper fired at Corporal Cameron. But, snow stuck in the barrel of the trapper's gun actually burst the gun's barrel and saved Corporal Cameron's life. (Courtesy of Vet & Historian Jack White). In 1980, after a lifetime of service, Gordon Cameron was awarded The Order of Canada.
R. I. P.Reg.#27355, Constable Joseph F. Riou joined the Force in Prince Albert, SK in 1969. He served honourably in 'K' Division for nearly thirty years. Constable Riou was awarded a Commanding Officer's Commendation for, 'his resourcefulness in administrating mouth to mouth resuscitation to a colleague, Constable R. W. Sturgeon who had been injured in a motor vehicle on April 7, 1973 near Red Deer, AB'.
R. I. P.(Courtesy of The Quarterly. Fall. 2013. V78(4).
Reg.#19287, Staff Sergeant Kenneth Allan Washington joined the Force in 1956 and served honourably for over thirty years. He never considered himself a completely off duty police officer. After he retired, Staff Sergeant Washington was awarded the Canadian Banks Law Enforcement Award for assistance in a case of robbery and kidnapping of bank employees in Burnaby, BC.
R. I. P. (Courtesy of The Quarterly. Spring. 2014. V79(2).In April of 1935, Reg.#10947, Constable Willliam Henry Billington took canine instructions from Capt. E. Harwick of the Alberta Provincial Police in Brooks, AB and for a short period of time Constable Billington was the Dog Handler of “Lux”, the first official Police Service Dog of the RCMP. Following his career in the RCMP, Constable Billington was later employed with the Department of Investigations of CP Railways.
R. I. P.(Courtesy of Merle Armstrong. Vets London, ON. 2015).
Reg.#1053, Constable William Henry Cunliffe joined the NWMP in 1884 and served honourably for five years. In 1885, he was among the first NWMP at the scene of the start of the North West Rebellion. In 1889, Constable Cunliffe 'Purchased his Discharge' from the NWMP upon the death of his father. He moved to America and joined the Seattle Police Department. One night, while on foot patrol with the Seattle PD, Patrol Officer Cunliffe approached two suspicious looking men at which time he was shot. Patrol Officer Cunliffe managed to return three shots but he died at the scene. The two men escaped. Constable Cunliffe's name was listed on the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial in Olympia, Washington, USA.
R. I. P.(Courtesy of Merle Armstrong. Vets London, ON. 2015).
Reg.#17964, Staff Sergeant W. J. Pringle was born in 1933 in Boston, MA, USA. He joined the Force in Sydney, NS in 1953 and went on to serve honourably in 'Depot', 'A', 'L', 'G', 'J', 'K' & 'M' Divisions. Along the way, W. J. Pringle earned a CO's Commendation in 1959, for...'assisting in the arrest of an armed bandit in Saint John, NB., The Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal 1977, The RCMP Long Service Medal with Silver Clasp & Stars 1983, The Order of St John Silver Lifesaving Medal in 1983, as well as a Commissioner's Commendation in 1983, for ...'his display of bravery for jumping onto an ice flow in the Yukon River and rescuing a man from drowning'. He was also awarded The Canada Medal of Bravery 1983, The Canada 125 Medal of 1992 and The Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002. Staff Sergeant Pringle died in 2014 in Carcross, Yukon. He was buried in the 'Depot' Cemetery, Regina, SK.
R. I. P.At the time of his retirement in 2007, Reg.#29335, Corporal James Douglas Barron had earned the RCMP's Long Service Medal with a Gold Clasp & Stars. On December 25, 1983, he was also awarded a Commanding Officer's Commendation for disarming a dangerous person armed with a loaded rifle. Corporal Barron died in Kamloops, BC in 2013.
R. I. P.Reg.#18455, Inspector Ernest Bruce 'Turk' Terkelsen served honourably in 'E' Division for thirty five years. He was awarded two RCMP Commanding Officer Commendations; one in 1967 for the successful conclusion of an armed robbery and the second in 1975 for the successful conclusion of a double murder.
R. I. P.Arrowsmith Coulee & Arrowsmith Creek which flow into the Little Bow River east of Lethbridge, AB was named after Reg. #1494, Constable William G. Arrowsmith..
R. I. P.Reg.#12609, James Reginald Stewart enrolled in the Canadian Army at the commencement of World War II and became a member of # 1 Provost Corps. His service during the War included Staff positions in the United Kingdom, North Africa and North West Europe. He also served as Provost Marshall of the Canadian Army from April of 1946 to July of 1954. He retired from the Canadian Army at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
R. I. P.Reg.#3521, Constable Neil Nicholson joined the Force in 1900 and served honourably for five years. He was among the first volunteers to sign up when WWI broke out in 1914. During WWI, he was awarded a Decoration for Bravery. Neil Nicholson lived on until 1981. He was buried in Calgary, AB.
R. I. P.In 1963, then Constable Arthur Harold Rosengren received the Commissioner's Commendation for Bravery of a marked degree after he apprehended an armed individual who was mentally ill. Staff Sergeant Rosengren died in 2003. He was buried in Red Deer, AB.
R. I. P.Reg.#813, Constable Jacob Cicero Charles DeGear joined the Force in 1882 and served honourably in 'F' Division for five years. During the North West Rebellion, he served near Battleford and at Cut Knife Hill. In 1885, he was awarded the North West Medal. Most sad, however, is that in 1923 Constable DeGear died in near destitute conditions so his burial expences had to be paid from government sources.
R. I. P.Reg.#742, Constable Charles Parker joined the Force in 1882. In March, 1883 he was found barely alive at a distance of 40 miles from Fort Whoop-Up by a stage driver from Fort Benton, Montana after Constable Parker was lost in a snow blizzard after being lost for 6 days with his horse 'Custer'.
R. I. P.Reg.#o380, Edward Herbert Maunsell joined the Force in 1874 and served honourbly for three years. He is buried in Calgary's Union Cemetery. His son, Frederick William Edward Maunsell was killed on Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917. His body was never recovered.
R. I. P.Wells Lake, east of Reindeer Lake, Manitoba was named in honour of Reg.#7291, Constable Harold Edwin Wells for his "outstanding work in wildlife". In 1940, he suggested a system of registering trap lines with a map of the actual trap lines on the licence. His idea was accepted and under his supervision, the plan was broadened across the Province of Manitoba.
R. I. P.Reg.#8905, Constable Floyd Sherman Anderson was grandson of William Tecumseh Sherman, US Union Army who served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–65).
R. I. P.Constable Horace Wakefield joined the Force in 1904. He died in 1954 and he was buried in Toronto, ON. He occupied Reg.#4232 -- it was the first Regimental Number issued to a member of the RNWMP.
R. I. P.On July 16th, 1895, a severe thunder storm & lightning struck the NWMP QM Stores at Battleford, SK. The strike went into the Canteen killing the dog at the feet of Reg.#1943, Inspector George Wallace Currier, then it travelled into the room occupied by Reg.#2606, Corporal Frederick Freeman McPhail. The lightning tore his blanket and partially melted the barrel of his carbine.
R. I. P.During WWII Reg.#12570, Sidney Stephen Lang died while serving as a Flight Sergeant with the RCAF. Just prior to his death, he wrote home indicating that he has completed 24 flights over enemy territory. He was buried in the Ramsay Municipal Cemetery, Cambridgeshire, England.
R. I. P.After his service in the RCMP, Reg.#8332, Harold Bruce Colbeck Carruthers went to Hollywood where he was an actor and appeared in many movies. He was also a Technical Advisor for movies including 'Rose Marie'. Constable Carruthers died in 1953. He was buried in Charlottetown, PEI.
R. I. P.Reg.#9812, Frederick Lionel Hitchman played for 12 years in the National Hockey League for the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins and played on Stanley Cup Championship teams. His jersey number 3 was retired by the Bruins. He died in 1968 and he was buried in Indian Lake, New York. USA.
R. I. P.On July 22, 1918, Reg.#3300 / O.173, Inspector John Phillips accompanied by Reg.#4396, Cpl. William A. Doak and Reg.#5369, Cst. Eric H. Cornelius left Herschel Island in a boat to obtain their mail. During the journey they were caught in a sudden storm and floating sea ice wrecked their boat. The three men were forced to abandon the boat and jump from one ice floe to another as they made their way to solid ice.
Eventually they encountered open water and were forced to swim in the arctic water to reach shore. Constable Cornelius was directed to hike back to Herschel some 12 miles (19 kilometers) away to obtain help, while Inspector Phillips and Corporal Doak built a driftwood shelter on the shoreline. Following orders, Constable Cornelius began his trek to Herschel, in soaking wet clothing. By the next morning, Corporal Doak was delirious with fever and the Inspector was nearly frozen from the cold.
Fortunately, they were able to get the attention of a passing whaling boat and were rescued by the crew. When the rescue party located Cst. Cornelius, they found him valiantly struggling in his frozen clothing to find his way back to Herschel Island.
R. I. P.Notes from & Appreciation to 'J' Div., Sgt. Larry Burden [larry.burden@rcmp-grc.gc.ca].
Officer O. 94, Samuel Martin Fraser graduated from Medical School at Western University in London, ON and continued post-graduate work in New York & Baltimore before being appointed a Medical Officer in the North West Mounted Police. He held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He died in 1935 and was buried in London, ON.
R. I. P.Reg.#9657, Constable Richard Clitherow joined the Force in 1920, but was allowed a 'Free Discharge' in 1922. Later, he joined the Labour Party in England as a politician and in 1945 he was elected as a Member of Parliament. He died while serving in office.
R. I. P.Reg.#R/602, George Lewis Burrows joined the Force in 1941 and served in 'H' Division until the Reserves were debanded in 1953. He died in Sarasota. Florida. USA in 1973. Constable Burrows was buried at sea.
R. I. P.Reg.#3846, James Authur Bennett joined the NWMP in 1902, but he received a Medical Discharge in 1904 due to tuberculosis. He died in the Halifax Explosion. It was was December 6, 1917. Constable Bennett's grave was found in Halifax, NS by Nova Scotia Vets.
R. I. P.Reg.#8871, Corporal Thomas Henry Duckett died in 1944. He was buried in Kelowna, BC. In 1920, he among other members rode horseback from Ottawa to Prescott, Ontario for a performace of The Musical Ride -- a distance of 78 miles each way.
Reg.#17925, Bruce Alexander Gibbard was born in Ottawa, ON. He joined the Force in 1952 and served honourably for two years. He left the Force for Medical School and was highly successful. As recent as 1980, he was a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Vermont, USA. He died in 2002 and he
was buried in Ottawa, ON.
Web2016.jpg)
Reg.#8846, Matt Lauder Vallance joined the Force in 1919 and served honourably for two years. After his service in the RCMP, he went to the USA is search of another job in law enforcement. He was promoted to Captain in the Beverley Hills, California Police Department. He died in 1981 and was buried
in Los Angeles, CA. USA.
Reg.#7585, Frank Clare was born in 1893 in Pocohantas, Virginia, USA. He moved to Canada, joined the Force in 1918 and served for one year. After leaving the Force, he became a Foreman with Columbia Pictures in Burbank. CA. He was also a brother of Reg.#7484, Luther Clare and Reg.#7486, Robert Clare.
Reg.#3141, Charles Wheelock Larry was born in Boston, USA in 1873. He joined the Force in 1896 then retired in 1904. He returned to the USA for a short period then he returned to Canada and engaged in the blacksmith business in Whitewood, SK. He joined the war effort in 1914 and served honourably in the Light Horse Regiment in Ypres, Somme, Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Paschendaele, Arras and Amiens. His grave was found by RCMP Vets in Whitewood, SK.
Reg.#8535, John Stephen was a Veteran of both WWI and WWII. He was also a member of No. 1 Provost Company (RCMP) in WWII. He died in 1947 and he was buried in Montreal, QC.
After WWI, Reg.#7759, Lorne Edward Chabot 'Purchased his Discharge' from the RCMP to play hockey as a goalie. He began his career playing in Manitoba and then played with the Port Arthur Bear Cats from 1924 to 1926, before going professional. He also played for, the Springfield Indians from 1926 to 1927, the New York Rangers from 1926, 1927 and 1928, the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1928, 1929, 1929, 1930, 1931 & 1932, the Montreal Canadiens from 1933 to 1934, the Chicago Black Hawks from 1934 to 1935, Montreal Maroons from 1935 to 1936 and the New York Americans from 1936 to 1937. He won the Stanley Cup twice, the Vezina Trophy from 1934 to 1935, and the Allan Cup in 1925 and 1926.
As a young boy, Reg.#368, NWMP Constable Robert Hugh MacKay was a Page Boy to Prime Minister John A. MacDonald. MacKay Hill, SK., near Fort Qu'Appelle, SK was named after him. He died in 1948.
In 2008, Reg.#49269, Constable Douglas James Larche received a Commander's Commendation for saving the life of an unconscious baby in Moncton, NB. Constable Larche died on duty after being shot in Moncton, NB
on June 4, 2014.
Reg.#7613, Corporal Alfred Dudley Mason was Commissioned in the field during WWI. He was also once decorated with the Military Cross and once with the Military Medal.
Reg.#16529, Samuel Service Jr. was the son of Reg.#16293, Samuel Service Sr. and a brother of Reg.#22858, David Service. Another brother William Service served in the BCPP and was murdered on duty during the 1940's in Prince Rupert, BC.
On October 25, 1944, during the Battle of Wouscche Plantage in Holland, Reg.#6849, William Oliver Pearson spent 2 hours welding a tank track to get it back into action even while he was under direct fire. He was awarded the Bronze Cross. On November 25, 1994, in recognition of his war service as a welder, C.F.B. Borden, ON named their new Welding Training Centre in his memory.
Reg.#6516, Staff Sergeant John Henry Reid began his career in law enforcement early. At 16, he became a Deputy Sheriff in North Dakota, USA and worked under his brother Reg.#6556, George Reid who was the Sheriff. John Henry Reid also served with the North Dakota National Guard for one year. During WWI, he was seconded to Canadian Military Police Corps. Then, in 1916 he joined the Force and served until 1919. He died in 1963 and was buried in Cardston, AB.
Reg.#6507, Constable Harold Walter Samms joined the Force in 1915 then left one year later. Born in Illinois, he returned to American, joined the US Navy and served honourably in WWI. He died in 1968 and was buried in Sacramento, California, USA.
Reg.#9256, Corporal Brian Mercer Timmis was a star football player with Hamilton and Ottawa of the CFL. He won three Grey Cup Championships as a player and coached Hamilton to the 31st Grey Cup Championship. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1963 and into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1975.
It was WWI and Reg.#6247, Constable Milton Elroy Kidder left the Force to join the Royal Flying Corps. He died in England on May 17, 1917. Constable Kidder is buried in Norwich, England.
Reg.#5248, Colin Goss Coleridge was a Lieutenant in the R. A. F. when he was killed in a flying accident at Camp Rathburn, ON., a Flight Training School for pilots. It was July 23, 1918. He was the brother of Reg.#4631, Clifford John Coleridge. (Vet Merle Armstrong). 2014
Reg.#12856, Constable Edison Alexander Cameron had two brothers in the Canadian Army during WWII. One brother Gordon was killed and had been buried. Constable Cameron had just visited his brother's grave then he too was hit by a shell and killed. Cameron Avenue in 'Depot' is named after him.
Reg.#241, Constable A. H. Lynch-Staunton was one of the very first men to join the North West Mounted Police. He was also one of the early founders of Pincher Creek, AB. His brother was Ottawa Parliamentarian Senator George Lynch-Staunton of Hamilton, ON who died in 1942.
R. I. P.In 1892, Reg.#2653, Constable John Leonard Salmon drove the first electric street car in Winnipeg, MB.
R. I. P.The ten RCMP members sent to represent Canada in France at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in 1936 were; Reg.#11569 Sergeant C. E. J. Widgery, Reg.#10437 Corporal H. Wilkins, Reg.#5524 Lance Corporal R. W. Warrior, and Constables Reg.#11036 R. J. E. Dobson, Reg.#11511 B. Dowling, Reg.#9972 A. Harness, Reg.#10915 S. J. Leach, Reg.10447 P. T. May, Reg.#11616 W. V. MacKinnon and
Reg.#9902 J. Cullen.
R. I. P.
One of the most popular Senior NCO's at 'E' Division's Pattullo Bridge Detachment in the mid 1960's was Reg.#16497, Staff Sergeant R. J. 'Bob' Mercer. As a young constable with the British Columbia Provincial Police in 1947, Bob Mercer was seriously shot and wounded by the same suspect who later killed Honour Roll #130, Reg.#20824, Constable N. M. Bruce.
R. I. P.In 1929, Reg.#16660, William Henry Davidson joined the BC Provincial Police and he was absorbed into the RCMP in 1950. In 1926, prior to his career in policing, he was the chauffeur for baseball legend 'Babe Ruth' during the Babe's tours of Vancouver BC, Seattle WA & Portland OR.
R. I. P.Reg.#17605, Staff Sergeant Kenneth Warren Titus died in March 2013. Years ago, he was awarded a Commissioner's Commendation for Devotion to Duty. He accurately identified the chief suspect in the death of Martin Luther King through a passport search. Later, he also received a Letter of Commendation from FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover.
R. I. P.Reg.#22826, Sergeant Robert Paul Wills received a Commanding Officer's Commendation as a result of his safe evacuation of a burning apartment building some years ago in Maple Ridge, BC.
R. I. P.Reg.#8921, Constable Charles Alan Innes-Taylor accompanied American Admiral Richard E. Byrd on two Antarctic Expeditions from 1929 to 1930 & 1933 to 1935. He was among the very first to be made a Member of the Order of Canada on June 23, 1976.
R. I. P. Reg.#1740, Arthur Murdock 'Dick' Leacock was a brother of Stephen Butler Leacock, the famous English-born Canadian teacher, political scientist, and writer who at one time was the best-known humourist in the English-speaking world.
R. I. P. Beyts Cove, Nunuvut, south of Rankin Inlet on the west side of Hudson Bay is named after Officer O.161, Inspector Walter James Beyts, NWMP, RNWMP & RCMP. p.21.
R. I. P.Reg.#4826, Alexander Bailey was the son of the Rev. and Mrs Robert Taylor Bailey, M.A. At one time, he was Assistant Manager of the Royal Trust Company in Winnipeg, MB. He joined the Force in 1909 then left in 1914 for service in WWI. His body was never recovered. His name is listed on the Menin Gate, Belgium.
R. I. P. O. 347, Superintendent Henry Larsen died in 1964. The following year, Larsen Sound, a body of water between Boothia Peninsula, Prince of Wales island, Victoria Island and King William Island, was named after Skipper Larsen. Other places have also been named in his honour; Cape Larsen on Wollaston Peninsula, Victoria Island; The Henry Larsen Building in Yellowknife, NWT; the Coast Guard Vessel Henry Larsen; The Larsen Elementary School in Ottawa, ON and Larsen Street at 'Depot' Div.
R. I. P. Reg.#12646, Constable Allan George Griffith flew over 25 raids over Germany during WWII. He was Killed in Action on April 15, 1942. He is buried in the Vlissegem Churchyard Cemetery, Belgium.
R. I. P. Reg.#14455, Corporal Mitch Owens joined the Force in Winnipeg, MB in 1942. He served for twenty two years and at one time was posted to the RCMP Supply Vessel St Roch for three months. After retirement, Mitch Owens served for twenty five years in Ottawa municipal politics. He lives [2014] on the longest street in Ottawa, Ontario which is named Mitch Owens Road.
Reg.#815, Constable George Leverett Deveber joined the Force in 1882 and he served until 1885. He was a Medical Doctor and later in life he was appointed a Senator. He died and was buried in Ottawa, ON.
R. I. P.Reg.#6761, Constable Lincoln Burt went through WWI then returned home and joined the Force in 1918. In the mid 1920’s he played football for the Toronto Argonauts. His cremated ashes were spread over
Lake Simcoe.
R. I. P.Reg.#3156, Constable Zachary Richard Edmund Lewis, Canadian Mounted Rifles, was dispatched to South Africa where he died in battle in 1900. The Anglican Padre was not available at the time of Constable Lewis' funeral, so Father O'Leary, the Catholic Padre was asked to officiate. Constable Lewis was the nephew of Archbishop Lewis, the Metropolitan of the Church of England in Canada.
R. I. P.NWMP Officer, O.172, Sir James MacDonald Tupper was a Lieutenant with A Squardron which was sent to France in 1918. He succeeded to the title 'Sir' at the death of his elder brother. Sir James was the Grandson of Charles Tupper, 6th Prime Minister of Canada.
R. I. P.A Memorial Plaque was mounted on the wall of the RCMP Chapel at 'Depot' Div. in Regina, SK in memory of Reg.#776, Constable John Henry Storer, WWI. He is also commemorated on the Vimy Memorial north of Arras, Pas-de-Calais, for the 11,000 plus Canadian soldiers who perished in northern France
with no known grave.
R. I. P.Canadian Expeditionary Force Service #426896 Private (28th Battalion, Saskatchewan Regiment) George Edward Dunkley (born 1887) of Endeavour, SK was Killed In Action on June 29, 1916 at Thiepval Ridge, France. He is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial north of Arras, Pas-de-Calais, for the 11,000 plus Canadian soldiers who perished in northern France with no known grave.
R. I. P.In 1915, Reg.#5529, Constable George Randolph Pearkes 'Purchased his Discharge' from the Force to join WWI and the Canadian Mounted Rifle Battalion. He was wounded five times and his courageous actions during the Battle of Passchendalele, Belgium won him the Victoria Cross. He would also receive the Military Cross for his bravery. He rose to the rank of Major General. After the War, he entered Canadian federal politics. Ottawa's National Defence Building is named after Major General G. R. Pearkes.
R. I. P.In 1916, Reg.#5852, Constable William Kellock McKay 'Deserted the Force' then enlisted with the First King Edward's Horse Regiment in London, England and served in WWI. Upon his return to Canada, he was Granted a Pardon on account of his WWI service. After WWI, he went to Medical School. He was hired as the Medical Officer for an Oil Co. in Iran where he contacted Influenza and died.
R. I. P.Honour Roll # 46, Reg.#9791, Constable Ian Mor MacDonald was drowned at sea after falling off a ship while on duty in 1924. The ship's Captain had previously been charged with murder in the United States so Constable MacDonald's disappearance raised suspicion. The case, however, never went to trial.
R. I. P.Reg.#8608, Corporal Finley McInnis was held as a POW during WWI. McInnes Branch # 220 of the the Royal Canadian Legion in Inuvik, NWT is named in his honour.
R. I. P.Reg.#2079, Reginald John Gwynne joined the Force in 1888, but Purchased his Discharge in 1890. His Exit Interview rated him as too, 'Gentlemanly [and his] upbringing made him 'a poor acquisition', no work experience, all personal chores had been done by servants'. He joined the Canadian Army and during WWI Constable Gwynne rose to the rank of Brigadier General.
R. I. P.Reg.#4, Staff Sergeant Joseph Harvey Price was one of the early members to join the Force and he rode on the March West. His wife gave birth to a baby girl -- the first baby born of a serving member of
the NWMP.
R. I. P.Reg.#664, Staff Sergeant Frank William Walker Fane was wounded in WWI. His son, Major Frank John William Fane was awarded the Military Cross in WWII.
R. I. P.Reg.#13818, Staff Sergeant Clarence Thomas Wallace received a Commissioner's Volunteer Award in part for earlier research which led to the discovery of the original site of Fort Calgary, AB.
R. I. P.Reg.#13839, Constable Robert Allan Cawsey left the Force in 1942 to join the Tank Corps and to fight for Canada in the Italian Campaign, WWII. Upon his return home, he entered law school in Alberta then practiced law. He was promoted to the Provincial Bench as the first Chief Judge of the Provincial Court. In 1979, he was appointed a Justice of the Queen's Bench, a position which he held for nearly twenty years.
R. I. P.While posted to the west coast in 1935, O.322, Inspector H. H. Cronkhite was one of the background riders in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie 'Rose Marie' which was partially filmed in North Vancouver, BC. He also acted as the 'Double' for the star Nelson Eddie.
R. I. P.Reg.#1709, Staff Sergeant John Daniel Nicholson was related to others in the Force. His nephew was Reg.#6367, Staff Sgt. James Archibald Cawsey (served 1914 to 1951) and Reg.#11462, Sgt. John Nicholson Cawsey (served 1932 to 1944) was the first Dog Master in the Force andhis grand nephews were: Reg.#12807, Staff Sgt. Lorne Cawsey (served 1935 to 1964) and Reg.#13839, Cst. Robert Allen Cawsey (served 1941 who later became a Judge in Alberta).
R. I. P.Edward Worrell Jarvis of PEI died in 1894, but left his famous name sprinkled across Canadian maps. At 24 years of age, he rode west in 1871 as a Location Engineer under Sir Sandford Fleming. The pair journeyed from Prince George, BC by dogsled while trying to locate a suitable pass for the future trans Canada railway. He joined the Force with a Commission in 1886. Jarvis Creek AB, Jarvis Creek BC, Jarvis Lake AB, Jarvis Lake BC, Mount Jarvis BC, Jarvis Pass BC & Jarvis St Hinton, AB are all named after O.73, Superintendent E. W. Jarvis. R. I. P.
In 1880, Commissioner Irvine wrote to Ottawa about O.12, Inspector Albert Shurtcliff. The Commissioner said, '...This Officer [Shurtcliff] served under me at Fort Macleod, I always found him hardworking & trustworthy. I have every confidence in his integrity. His manner with men is not particularly good nor is his knowledge or experience great.'
R. I. P.Reg.#3507, Joseph John Westaway joined the Force in 1900. After university, he combined his career in medicine and law. He invested his savings in lumber, mining & real estate. Later in life, he joined a religious sect in Vancouver, BC and became its leader. He died in 1960 and bequeathed his estimated fortune of $1,500,000 to the sect.
R. I. P.Sergeant William Nelson Ritchie was awarded a Commendation for his devotion to duty and for providing prompt first aid to those more seriously injured than himself in a train derailment at Zorra, ON. It was March 5th, 1945.
R. I. P.It may have been a routine incident in the life of Corporal Marcel J. U. Sauvé. In 1969, he chased an armed man fleeing from a downtown Montreal, QC bank. In spite of being shot at, Corporal Sauvé caught, disarmed and arrested the bandit. While in custody, the robber admitted to 17 robberies. In court, he received 7 years. On appeal, the judge tacked on 8 more years consecutive for a total of 15 y's behind bars. It's true.
R. I. P.After leaving the Force, Reg.#11839, Corporal Alexander John Lilly, became Canadair's Chief Test Pilot. He was responsible for flight testing more than 100 models of Canadian aircraft. He was also the first Canadian to break the sound barrier -- it happened at the RCAF Station Dorval in August 1950 as he piloted a Canadair Sabre 1 prototype. 'Al' Lilly is a member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame.
R. I. P.Credit for the first sighting and the discovery of Lake Louise, Banff, Alberta goes to Reg.#506, NWMP Constable Thomas Edmonds Wilson.
R. I. P.Two sons of Reg.#9103, Sergeant & Mrs Robert John Heeney died during WW II while serving with the RCAF. About the same time their infant son also died. Sergeant Heeney died in 1948.
R. I. P. Lance Corporal Reg.#11675, Charles Bismark 'Tiny' Hermann played football for the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1933 to 1940. In 1941, he left the Force to join the RCN. 'Tiny' Hermann was killed in 1966 in a plane crash near Metcalf, ON.
R. I. P.In 1949 when Newfoundland joined Confederation as Canada's 10th Province, Reg.#9994, retired RCMP Sergeant George Tingley Makinson was elected Liberal M.H.A. (Member House of Assembly) in the first Provincial Assembly for the riding of Port de Grave. Makinson Inlet, Nunavut - on the eastern shore of Ellesmere Island is also named after George Tingley Makinson.
R. I. P.Cst. Ernest Peyton was the first Newfoundlander to join the NWMP. It was 1888. He died of natural causes at the age of 18 years while in Basic Training at 'Depot' in Regina, SK. Constable Peyton's father was a Member of the Newfoundland Legislature.
R. I. P.Reg.#12618, Constable Leonard Basil Fordham volunteered as a fighter pilot with the Royal Air Force and flew Spitfires during the Battle of Britain. He was shot down over the English Channel in July, 1941. He is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England. Fordham Lake, SK. was named after him.
R. I. P.Reg.#8373, Sergeant George Robert Henry Bone once appeared in a short sequence of the American movie "49 Parallel" which was partly filmed in Banff, AB. He assisted the cast to remove a wanted German from a submarine. The Hollywood stars in the movie were Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier and Raymond Massey.
R. I. P.Reg.#1890, Constable Jean Charles Routhier was the son of Mr. Basil Routhier, the composer of 'O Canada'. He was also father of Rev. Henri Routhier O.M.I., the late Archbishop of Grouard-McLennan Archdiocese, QC.
R. I. P.Reg.#o165, Sub Constable John Cherry was paternal grandfather to CBC's Mr Don Cherry.
R. I. P.O.29, Inspector Francis Jeffrey Dickens was the son of English writer Mr Charles Dickens.
R. I. P.Reg.#2189, Constable Eugene Bailey O'Keefe was the only son of Mr Eugene O'Keefe, Canada's O'Keefe Brewing Company Limited.
R. I. P.Reg.#2164, Corporal Arthur Onslow, engaged in the NWMP in June 1888 at Calgary, AB. He was a cousin of Lord Onslow of Clandon Park, Guildford, England.
R. I. P. Reg.#14757, Constable Herschel Taylor Wood (RCMP Honour Roll #107) was a third generation member of the Force. He was the son of the Stuart Taylor Wood, the serving Commissioner of the RCMP at that time of his death. He had a rich family heritage that entwined both RCMP and American history. His brother, John Taylor Wood, was a member of the Force who retired in 1988 with rank of Superintendent. Their grandfather, Zachary Taylor Wood, served in the NWMP and the RNWMP from 1885 to 1915 and rose to the rank of Acting Commissioner of the RCMP. Zachary Taylor Wood’s father was the famous Confederate Naval Commander, Captain John Taylor Wood who, after the American Civil War, settled in and is buried at Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was the nephew of the Confederate President, Jefferson Davies and the great-grandson of the twelfth President of the United States, Zachary Taylor.
R. I. P.The following note from Mr. Terrio was received on July 20, 2012.
Hi Joe;
The other day I happened to find a copy of Cecile B. DeMille's first colour movie made in 1940 called the North West Mounted Police which starred Gary Cooper (as a Texas Ranger no less), Paulette Goddard, Preston Foster as Sgt Jim Brett, and Robert Preston as Constable Ronnie Logan of the North West Mounted Police. The story takes place during the second North West Rebellion. In looking at the list of cast members, I noted two real life members who acted as Technical (military and mounted police) Advisers: Reg.#5426, Corps Sergeant Major George F. Griffin & Reg.#2037, Sgt. George A. Pringle. R. I. P.. I thought your readers might find this mesh of cinema and Force history interesting.
David Terrio, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
Reg.#2079, Constable Reginald John Gwynne. 'Purchased his Discharge' in 1890 for $159.00, but eventually the money was returned to him. Upon his departure, his exit report rated him as, 'Gentlemanly upbringing made him 'a poor acquisition', no work experience, all personal chores had been done by servants'.
R. I. P.Reg.#4258, Staff Sergeant & Veterinarian, Michael Vincent Gallivan, DVM. In 1904, Michael Vincent Gallivan along with Dr. E. A. Watson identified the horse disease 'Maladie du Coit' & developed a test for it. As a result of their work, the disease was eradicated from Canada by 1920.
R. I. P.Reg.#5059, Constable James Paul Ironside was a Second Lieutenant with the 28th Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps when he was killed. WWI.
R. I. P.Reg.#9214, Constable Arthur Joseph Offley was awarded the Military Medal during World War I, details: “For persistent good work during service in France and especially during operations of the 26th & 27th Sept., 1916 when he was indefatigable in carrying messages H.Q.'rs and the Front Line under heavy fire and helping to carry out wounded with complete disregard to his own safety”.
R. I. P.James Farquharson MacLeod, C.M.G. (1836-1894) was the third Commissioner of the NWMP. Born in Scotland, Macleod was one of the most colourful and interesting Commissioners in the history of the Force; a Militia Officer, lawyer, policeman, magistrate, judge, and a politician.
R. I. P.He attended Upper Canada College in Toronto, ON. After bar examinations at Osgoode Hall, he practiced law from 1860 to 1870. Macleod served as Brigade Major with the Wolseley Expedition in 1870 during the Red River Rebellion in Manitoba. In 1873, Prime Minister Macdonald offered him a Commission as a Superintendent and a new career began in the recently established North-West Mounted Police. As Commissioner, he served from July 22, 1876 until October 31, 1880. He is buried in Calgary, AB.
R. I. P.On July 24, 1921, a Commendation from the American Alpine Club was awarded to Reg.#8496, Constable Charles Pounden and others who retrieved the body of Dr. Winthrop E. Stone, President of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana who had fallen to his death while mountain climbing in Banff National Park with his wife. Constable Pounden joined the RNWMP in 1919 and retired in 1930.
R. I. P.Reg.#5375, Constable Barry Pevensey Duke. WWI. KIA was the son of Col. O. T. Duke & Mrs. Blanche Duke, of Folkestone, England.
R. I. P.Reg.#5945, Constable Thomas George Bavin. WWI. KIA was killed in France while serving with the Lord Strathcona Horse (Royal Canadians) Regiment. His name is listed on the Vimy Memorial. He was the brother of O.254, Superintendent E. W. Bavin.
R. I. P.Reg.#7517, Constable Clarence Laroy Cleveland is unusual for a couple reasons; he volunteered (there is no sign he was drafted) in the waning days of WWI (17 October), and he died just 12 days later of natural causes. He was destined for the RNWMP Contingent of the Siberian Expeditionary Force.
R. I. P.Reg.#6008, Constable Arthur Alexander Pinder. WWI. KIA., was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery (MM) and a Bar for a second Award. He is buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery, Etaples, France.
R. I. P.Reg.#5685, Constable Michael John O'Leary. VC. WWI., died in 1916 and is buried in England. R. I. P. The Victoria Cross (VC), the highest military decoration awarded for valour in the face of the enemy to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories.
Reg.#14518, Constable Walter Lawrence 'Gus' Klye, pro hockey player played 203 games in the National Hockey League then switched to a long career in radio broadcasting. He has no known grave as he donated his body to science.
R. I. P.Reg.#6147, Constable Cecil Oliver Eachus Price, WWI. KIA., died on April 28, 1917. He was twenty four years of age. His name is etched on the Vimy Memorial.
R. I. P.On August 29 1921 while off duty in Regina, SK. Reg.#5317, Sergeant Walter Henry Lougheed observed the Regina City Police and the Saskatchewan Provincial Police pursuing three bank robbers. When he attempted to assist the other police officers, Sergeant Lougheed was shot and wounded in the left knee by one of the robbers. Later, the police were successful in capturing the trio. Sergeant Lougheed received a Commissioner’s Commendation for his actions.
R. I. P.The Dempster Highway was named after O.233, Inspector William John Duncan 'Jack' Dempster. The highway begins about 40 km (25 mi) east of Dawson City, Yukon on the Klondike Highway and extends 736 km (457 mi) to Inuvik, NT. Construction of the 140 km (87 mi) all-weather extension to Tuktoyaktuk commenced in April 2013, with completion scheduled for 2016. Inspector Dempster died in Victoria, BC in 1964 at the age of eighty-seven. He is buried in Burnaby, BC.
R. I. P.Reg.#6227, RNWMP Constable later Captain Peter Handcock Broughton-Adderley, died on October 16, 1917 of wounds received in action on the previous day, was the eldest son of Mr. and the Hon. Mrs. Hubert Broughton-Adderley of Tunstall Hall, Maket Drayton and Barlaston Hall, Staffordshire, England. WWI. KIA.
R. I. P.Reg.#89, NWMP Constable Gilbert Smythe McConnell served in the Riel Rebellion. He moved to Vancouver, BC in 1888 and served as a Vancouver Alderman for two years under Mayor David Oppenheimer. He was appointed Vancouver Parks Commissioner in 1889. All the while, he and his daughter Florence were also prominently active in Vancouver's social circles.
R. I. P.September 5, 1991. After a drunken, agitated man went on a shooting rampage in Igloolik, NWT., Reg.#32100, Corporal Dean E. Taylor confronted the man and ordered him to put down his .303 caliber rifle. Eventually the gunman calmed down, surrendered his weapon and was arrested. In recognition of his courage and presence of mind Corporal Taylor was awarded the Commissioner's Commendation.
R. I. P.Canada burst into the international limelight in 1945 when Soviet Cipher Clerk Igor Gouzenko (1919-1982) defected from the USSR Ottawa Embassy taking with him more than 100 secret documents hidden under his coat. The documents detailed the inner workings of a major Soviet spy ring in Canada that reach into the Department of External Affairs, the British High Commissioner's Office and the Chalk River Nuclear Facility. After the RCMP concluded its investigation 20 espionage trials were held which resulted in nine criminal convictions including a Member of Parliament. Gouzenko is given a new identity and lived out the rest of his life in Canada. He died in 1982.
R. I. P.Reg.#7684, Constable Francis Boucher hung up his spurs in 1921 and laced up a pair of hockey skates. He 'Purchased his Discharge' from the RCMP to play for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League. Many years later, Boucher coached the Blueshirts to victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1940 Stanley Cup finals. That same regular season he pulled goaltender Dave Kerr with two minutes left in the game in an attempt to tie the score, initiating the 'pull the goalie' trend that would become exceedingly popular in the NHL in future years.
R. I. P.Reg.#6004, Constable John James Willoughby was hastily buried in 1918 at the site of his death, Moreuil Woods, France. In 1986, his remains (and bayonet, spurs, wallet and coins) were found in France by the owner of the property, Mr. Jean Paul Brunel. Mr Brunel erected a momument on the site of Willoughby's death, but eventually his remains were moved to rest in the Terlincthun British Cemetery, France.
R. I. P.On 08/09/1890, Reg.#2012, Constable 'Cap' Robert Gordon Mathews made a one day 60 mile round trip with a team of horses from Fort MacLeod, AB to Pincher Creek, AB & return with Reg.#2022, Vaughan's body who had died two days earlier so Constable Vaughan could be buried at Fort MacLeod.
R. I. PDuring WWI, Reg.#8326, Constable Donald Allen McAskill was awarded the Military Medal. But, that's not all. In the late 1920's, McAskill was transferred to Dawson as IC of Keno Detachment. Three local miners, under the influence, challenged him to box as a new member in town. He promptly knocked out all three. Later, one of the three returned for a re-match saying he lost only because he was drunk. McAskill knocked him out cold. Again. This time, McAskill also arrested him.
R. I. P(From the fascinating history files of Historian Vet Jack White) R. I. P.
Web2016.jpg)
