Help Identify Member – Part II Another Case Solved On Behalf Of Her Majesty The Queen!

Another Case Solved On Behalf Of Her Majesty The Queen!

Recently we reached out to our Veterans to see if they could help identify two members in a photograph taken of then Princess Elizabeth when she visited Canada in 1951 filling in for her ailing father King George VI.   The response has been great and the identity of the two members confirmed.  

1951 – Photograph of Princess Elizabeth, Prince Philip and RCMP members. (Source of photo – Ric Hall’s Photo Collection).

The member facing the camera is James Robertson Zavitz, Reg # 13997, and the officer shaking Princess Elizabeth’s hand is William Harrison Graham Nevin, Reg # 11122/O.371.

William Nevin was born in Portstewart, Northern Ireland. He joined the Force in October 1931. He had a well travelled career as a member of the Force. He served in “H”, “G” “Depot”, “A” and back to “H” and then back to “A”, “D” and “L” Division when he was promoted to Chief Superintendent and served as the Commanding Officer. Off to “E” Division and his final transfer was to “B” Division as the Commanding Officer. He was invalided to pension in July 1956.

Many immediately identified Jim Zavitz, but unfortunately I was not able to get a lot of information on his career. He was born on July 28, 1922. He joined the Force on June 21, 1941 and retired on December 31, 1970.  Apparently, he was out of the Force from  June 30, 1945 to June 1, 1946, reason unknown. He won Connaught Cup in 1953, 1955, 1956 and 1961.   That is outstanding and no mean feat! He retired from the Force as a Sergeant Major.

 In 2003, he authored a book entitled “Remembering My Life In The Royal Canadian Mounted Police 1941 – 1970.”  This was a self published book.

Photograph at an unknown event appears to have William Nevin and Jim Zavitz in the background (Source of photo – Ric Hall’s Photo Collection).

Photograph at an unknown event appears to have William Nevin and Jim Zavitz in the background.

My friend, veteran Don Render, Reg # 20457/O.872, pointed out to me that Nevin and Zavitz were captured in the front row of a group photograph taken of members of Vancouver Town Station (wow, that is going back in time!) and Vancouver Sub-Division (remember Sub-Divisions?) taken in 1961.   Not a lot of smiling faces!   It seems that officers always had to have that severe look on their faces, perhaps back in the day it was true what they said about the newly commissioned officer’s “Hate Course.”   I bet the members of the day did not call officers by their first names!

Nevin, then a Superintendent, is the taller of the two officers wearing the blue tunic and cloth cap and Zavitz, then a Sergeant, is fourth from the right. Don Render is in the centre row, second from the left peering over the shoulder of the taller corporal in front of him.   The officer in the front row wearing Review Order is Inspector Maurice Nadon….I wonder whatever became of him?

1961 – Photograph of the members of the Vancouver Subdivision (Source of photo – Ric Hall’s Photo Collection).

Veteran Paul Thorne provided some supplementary information – “ I thought I could add to your story on S/M James Robertson Zavitz. Jim is still alive in his 90\’s but in poor health. I met with his some months ago and shared Ric Hall\’s photo of the Royal Visit. Jim left the Force in Halifax to heighten his chances of overseas service during WWII. He had two brothers in the Royal Canadian Navy and wanted to follow in their footsteps. He had applied for release from Service from the Force but with a name beginning with “Z” he felt his chances of being transferred to the No.1 Provost Corp were slipping away as the war was nearing an end. He actually went to a military recruiting station in Halifax and was turned away as they were no longer recruiting. Jim worked for a year in Halifax before re-engaging and being transferred to “L” Division. He is currently residing with his wife who is also in her 90\’s in Coldstream, Ontario. Jim has been a long time member of the RCMP Veterans Association in Regina and only forced to resign recently as a result of his declining health.”

If you have old photographs which you would like to include in one of our forthcoming webpages, please email Ric Hall at rshall69@shaw.ca.  He will scan the images and return the original photos to you.