True and Fascinating Canadian History
Vet of the Month: November, 2018
RNWMP Soldiers in WWI
RCMP Vets. Ottawa, ON
For many Canadians, it might come as a surprise to learn that the RCMP has a proud military heritage in national conflicts. Canada’s national police force played important roles in the North-West Rebellion (1885), the South African War (1899-1902), the First World War (1914-1918) and the Second World War (1939-1945). In addition the RCMP has been involved in United Nations Missions around the world.
In all of these conflicts, the RCMP has served Canada honourably, but not without sacrifice. Hundreds of RCMP have been killed on the battlefield or were left physically and psychologically wounded long after their war experiences ended.
As our attention turns once more to Remembrance Day on November 11th, Canadians focus on men and women soldiers, their many sacrifices and the devastation of war. In this Vet of the Month piece, some of the RNWMP (as it was called in those days) who went to WWI are identified and a summary of their contributions are shared.
For some Canadians, it may be surprising to realize that members of the RCMP are among our war dead and now rest in cemeteries all over the world.
Canada automatically entered WWI on August 4, 1914 when Great Britain declared war on Germany. There was an immediate response of men and women volunteers from across Canada who eagerly sought to participate in military service. Members of the RNWMP also felt this intense desire to volunteer for WWI, but their eagerness was met with resistance by the Canadian government.
At the time, it was government policy to keep the RNWMP at home; its first obligation was homeland security and domestic police duties.
However, the urge of the battlefield was far too tempting for hundreds of RNWMP as compared with remaining at home performing so called regular police duties which seemed unfulfilling and boring.
In light of Canada’s announcement not to allow the RNWMP to serve in WWI and to get around this impasse, men simply abandoned the RNWMP in order to enlist and serve overseas with the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). Some of these brave patriots are described below.
Reg.#4174, Constable George Taylor Aitkin (photo upper left) was killed in action in France on October 18, 1918. He was buried in the Drummond Cemetery, Raillencourt, France. Reg.#5613, Constable John Eyre Heaphy (photo right) also left the RNWMP and enlisted with the CEF. He was also killed in France on April 7, 1918 and he was buried in the Mauberge-Centre Cemetery, France.
Reg.#5545, Constable Frederick Willliam Heath left the RNWMP in 1916 and enlisted with the CEF. He was killed on October 11, 1918 was buried in the Ramilles British Cemetery, France. (photo lower left).
Other men ‘purchased their discharge’ out of the RNWMP in order to join the CEF. Reg.#5735, Corporal Stanley Edward Williams ‘purchased his discharge’ in 1916 so that he could serve overseas with a Saskatchewan Regiment. Williams was killed in action on September 2, 1918. His body was never recovered.
Reg.#5501, Constable Reginald George Eland was killed in 1917. His body was never recovered. Both Williams’ and Eland’s names are among the 32 or so RNWMP names etched on Canada’s National Vimy Memorial.
Reg.#4245, Staff Sergeant Robert Weld Ensor ‘purchased his discharge’ from the RNWMP in order to serve overseas with the CEF. Overseas, he attained the rank of Captain. Reg.#5549, Constable Ludovic Duhamel also ‘purchased his discharge’. He was KIA and his name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial.
During the early years of WWI, the Force made strong protests to allow its members to fight overseas. The Canadian government finally relented and in April, 1918 the RNWMP was allowed to hire hundreds of recruits to build “A” Squadron which served with the Canadian Cavalry Brigade on the Western Front.
“A” Squadron RNWMP, under the command of Superintendent George Leslie Jennings, saw action in France and Belgium and its members served as dispatch riders on the front lines. They performed “with distinction at the battle of Mons in 1918.” Other RNWMP Officers who also served with “A” Squadron included; Commissioner S. T. Wood, Assistant Commissioners Thomas Hill Irvine and Charles Deering LaNauze.
Many men lost their lives overseas. Reg.#6645, Constable Jared Fletcher Bodwell died of pneumonia on October 14, 1918. He was buried in the Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, France. Reg.#6527, Constable William Toder was killed on September 13, 1918. He was buried in Vis en Artois Cemetery, France. Reg.#6359, Constable Louis LaCroix was killed on April 9, 1917. He was buried in the Nine Elms Military Cemetery, France.
Hundreds and hundreds of RNWMP went overseas. Many were killed and many are buried in foreign cemeteries. The number of casualties would likely have been much higher if the RNWMP had been allowed permission to engage in the CEF at the early outbreak of the war.
Reporting from Fort Healy,
J. J. Healy
November 11, 2018
RCMP and military connections. http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/rcmp-and-military-connections
