True and Fascinating Canadian History
Vet of the Month: March, 2018
Reg.#6955 Constable Athelstan Frank Ditch
RCMP Vets. Ottawa, ON
In the everyday Canadian workplace and throughout organizational structures too, a very high value is placed on business core values including; integrity, trust, diligence, discipline and accountability. These attributes also sum up the successful person whether he or she is employed in the sports industry, government, or the professions; medicine, God's ministry, law, teaching and of course the policing profession.
In the RCMP, very little latitude is tolerated for the person who would lie, cheat or steal -- for otherwise, the RCMP as a law abiding institution would be in serious trouble or indeed it would wobble, fold or totally collapse. Norm breaking behaviour of any kind in the workplace requires immediate interruption and condemnation by RCMP supervisors and senior management.
The following short yet very tragic story is about Constable Athelstan Frank Ditch of the once Royal North West Mounted Police (RNWMP). Details about Constable Ditch and his short lived and questionable career were sent to me recently by Mr. Neil Falconer, a family relative who lives in southern Ontario.
Mr. Falconer wrote, "Joe, I just read about your RCMP graves database in a recent issue of Canada’s History magazine. Years ago, I had an ancestor in the Force and I looked him up. If my Mother was still alive, she would be shocked! His name was Athelstan Frank Ditch. He joined the Force in 1918, and he was dismissed in 1921 for submitting 4 false voucher receipts! Can you imagine?" According to Mr. Falconer, in family circles Frank Ditch was reputed always to be a bit 'odd'.
Athelstan Frank Ditch was born in Minnedosa, MB in 1885. Around the early 1900's, family legend has it that he bought beef and resold it to the Canadian Army. In 1914, Frank Ditch met his wife Olive and they married. A couple years later, they moved to Regina, SK.
On April 28th 1918, Frank Ditch joined the Royal North West Mounted Police in Regina, SK., and he was recruited into the Canadian Expeditionary Forces on the exact same day -- Private Ditch was assigned CEF#2683963 and then he was shipped overseas. It was WWI. After WWI, Frank Ditch returned to the RNWMP. A baby boy was born to Frank Ditch and his wife, then they were posted to Winnipeg, MB. There was family trouble brewing on the horizon.
According to Mr. Falconer, family lore claimed that in 1921 Constable Ditch and another RCMP constable were sent out to distribute Treaty money to the Aboriginal Reserve near Lac du Bonnet, MB. Somehow, Constable Ditch managed to get permission to take his wife Olive and their young son Alistair on the official canoe trek.
The other RNWMP constable is said to have protested over the travel arrangements, claiming the canoe trip was too dangerous for Olive and the young boy. But, Constable Ditch's mind was set. Subsequent events proved the other constable was right. Constable Ditch's canoe capsized and Olive and young Alistair drowned. It was June 23, 1921.
Mr. Falconer said that an account of the drowning mishap was found in the archives of the Birtle Eye, MB., newspaper collection dated June 28, 1921. The Birtle Eye reported that, "Miss Ditch received word that her brother’s wife and son were drowned while crossing the Winnipeg River near Pine Rapids on their way back from Fort Alexander where Sergeant Ditch had been on police duty.” The dire news only confirmed the horrors which everyone in the family had already feared.
Mr. Falconer said his own grandfather always claimed that Frank Ditch had purposely arranged the canoe accident -- the results would allow Ditch to be a free man once again. Mr. Falconer offered his own evaluation about the Ditch family tragedy, he said, "I always thought it was a case of sour grapes, but maybe there was some evil to the man after all." Mr. Falconer ended the story, he said, "I recall visiting the RCMP Museum in Regina in 1969 and seeing Ditch's gun on display -- after the canoe accident, it was all that had been found in the water."
Whether or not Constable Ditch was directly responsible for the drowning and death of his wife and small boy will never be known. However, it is known that he left the RNWMP shortly after their deaths. On November 28, 1921, Constable Ditch was charged for theft -- he was caught when he submitted 4 false voucher receipts in the sum of eight dollars. It was proven that Constable Ditch was not entitled to the money, and it was inevitable that he would exact a high price for his dishonesty.
One month later, Constable Frank Ditch was marched into Service Court and later the same day he was dishonourably dismissed from the RNWMP. Then, he traveled to Canada's northland, maybe to be alone or perhaps to hide from the shame of past deeds which he might not have been able to resolve in his heart or in the recesses of his conscience.
In 1948, the body of former Constable Ditch was found on the banks of the Lower Stewart River in the Yukon. It was presumed that Frank Ditch had drowned. But, if he was tormented over his questionable life, he might have also committed suicide -- no one will ever know. Mr. Falconer offered this sad ending about the demise of Frank Ditch, "His drowning was a case of what goes around comes around, eh?" The body of former Constable Ditch was buried in the same spot on the shore where it was found. He lies there to this very day.
I wish to sincerely thank Mr. Neil Falconer for writing to me, and especially for sharing the 1920's sad story about his long ago family relative Constable Athelstan Frank Ditch of the RNWMP.Mr. Falconer explained, "My grandparent's farmhouse outside of Virden, MB burned down in the mid 1930's so we have no photos of Frank Ditch or his wife Olive or their son."
Update
On February 5, 2021 I received a surprise and welcoming note from Mr Neil Falconer who said that he was going through his mother's belongings, and he came across the photo below (right) of Frank Ditch's wife Olive and their son. Apparently,the photo was taken at the RCMP Lac Du Bonnet Detachment, MB.
Hi Joe, In the original accident Olive and the baby drowned. That was in June 1921. Frank Ditch’s body was found on the bank of the Stewart River in the Yukon in 1948. He was also believed to be a drowning victim.
Reporting from Fort Healy,
J. J. Healy
March 23, 2018
Apparently, the photo was taken at the RCMP Lac Du Bonnet Detachment, MB
courtesy of Mr. Neil Falconer
