True and Fascinating Canadian History
Special Constable John William Wardman's daughter Grace Lena Wardman
Courtesy of FindaGrave & RCMP Veteran Dave Ward
Vet of the Month: January, 2025
S/4475, Special Constable John William Wardman
RCMP Vets. Ottawa, ON
Recently, RCMP New Brunswick Veteran Dave Ward shared an intriguing story about how a previously unknown RCMP grave was discovered in Nova Scotia. The story began in May 2021, when Dave photographed headstones in a small cemetery in Wirral, NB. Among these was a temporary marker for a young girl Grace Lena Wardman (1914-1928). After Dave posted the photo on FindAGrave, he received a message from Paul Bishop, a FindAGrave contributor from England, who thanked him for uploading the picture of his great-aunt Grace's marker.
Bishop, who had noticed Dave's RCMP connection in his FindAGrave profile, shared important historical information: Grace's father was John William Wardman, who had served as an RCMP Special Constable at Saint John, New Brunswick Harbour from 1940-1945. Bishop had been researching his family history and shared numerous photographs and documents about Wardman's service.
This discovery was particularly valuable because Wardman's service details, including his Regimental number, had previously been unknown to the RCMP grave database. Thanks to Bishop's research and willingness to share his family records, John Wardman's RCMP service can now be properly documented and his grave marker preserved.
Special Constable John William Wardman (Reg.# S/4475) led a life of dedication and service to the United Kingdom from his earliest years. Born in 1891 in Fewston, Harrogate Borough, North Yorkshire, England, he answered his nation's call during World War I, serving as a member of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) with the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. His exemplary service earned him both the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.) and the Military Medal (M.M.), testifying to his outstanding wartime contributions.
John Wardman and his family immigrated to Canada in 1926 and settled in Clarendon, Queens Co., New Brunswick. He later moved to Saint John, N.B. and found temporary employment as a caretaker of his apartment building. In 1939, he joined the Saint John Fusiliers - an infantry regiment of the Canadian Militia. Prior to WWII, the RCMP hired several Special Constables to protect its harbour ports, and it was here that Wardman found full time employment when he joined the Force in December 1940 at a salary of $1.60 per day. Friends who knew Wardman reported that he was a thoughtful, gentle, and caring person who collected gifts and distributed them to underprivileged children at Christmas.
Wardman's work record with the RCMP was outstanding, with only one incident affecting his health mentioned in RCMP documents.
This incident occurred on November 14, 1941, while Wardman was on duty at his post at the Saint John Harbour. A truck attempting to stop at the guardhouse slid on the wet wooden planks of the wharf's surface and struck the building. Wardman, who was inside the guardhouse at the time, lost his balance and fell against a stove, sustaining a fractured rib. At the time, Wardman was about 50 years of age.
The driver had been delivering provisions to H.M.C.S. "Husky" at pier No. 6 in truck No. C. 27-56. When returning through the entrance, he was signaled by Wardman to stop and show his pass. While traveling at 10-12 miles per hour and applying his brakes gently, the truck skidded on the wet wooden planks of the wharf and hit the guardhouse just as Wardman was exiting it.
After a few days of recuperation, Wardman recovered from his injury and returned to work. After five years service, Wardman retired from the RCMP in 1945 and moved to Nova Scotia.
John William Wardman died in Truro on March 8th, 1965. He was 75. He was buried in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Londonderry, Nova Scotia.
Through a serendipitous chain of events initiated by RCMP Veteran Dave Ward - from a photograph of Grace Wardman's grave marker to the dedicated research of her great-nephew in England - Special Constable Wardman's service to Canada and the RCMP has finally been properly documented. His story serves as a testament to the importance of preserving the history of all those who served in the RCMP, regardless of their role or length of service.
Special thanks to Paul Bishop of the United Kingdom and RCMP New Brunswick Veteran Dave Ward for their contributions to documenting this remarkable piece of RCMP history.
Reporting from Fort Healy,
J. J. Healy
January 23rd, 2025
