Larry Burden’s This Day In The RCMP
February 22, 2017
The achievements and contributions of the Force have been built upon the individual contributions of many past Veterans. These contributions have largely been forgotten.
Veteran Sgt. Larry Burden ( #35982) served in “E” Division for 20 years has spent over ten years researching and summarizing these achievements by specific date. Nearly every day, Larry sends out an email message with a selection from his work in progress manuscript “This Day In The RCMP” to individuals interested in these historical notes.
In an effort to share his research to a large group, Larry has agreed to permit us to develop a webpage on our website. Each webpage will post Larry’s historical notations over the past week.
If you wish to contact Larry Burden or provide additional information about his research, please email him at larryburden8@gmail.com.
February 20
1978 – Staff Sergeant Paul Kouri was admitted as a Serving Brother of the Order of St. John by the Governor General of Canada Jules Leger.
1988 – The Commissioner of the RCMP, Norman Inkster attended a Regimental Dinner in Whitehorse Yukon and presented Commissioners Commendations for bravery to #25085 Sergeant E.E. Wasylenka, #28582 Corporal J.M Lloyd and #Constable Y.T. Archibald for their role in apprehending an armed man at Watson Lake Yukon.
2002 – #47737 Cst Mike Templeton while attempting to check stolen car was shot in face and neck with .22. The suspects Daniel Courchene, Mike Regamey and juvenile female were being hunted for several car thefts were arrested 2002-03-05 in Winnipeg. (looking for more information).
February 21
1966 – Often stories of heroism seldom get told let alone recognized with an award. One such incident involving Constables #22349 K.D. Gill and #20072 B.C. Pope at Fort Smith N.W.T. as noted by Mr. Justice W.G. Morrow in and article he wrote in 1975, entitled “Courage in Red”. In his article he commended a number of constables he had encountered in his career as a judge including. Constables Gill and Pope response to a complaint where an intoxicated youth ransacked his parent’s house and then got hold of several rifles. The boy then proceeded to riddle the area with over 400 rounds of ammunition shooting at anyone he saw including the local Priest, the local doctor and the policemen. The matter was finally brought to a conclusion when the officers fired tear gas into the house, thereby forcing the boy to surrender. The judge praised the policemen for their restraint and commented that in many other countries the boy would have been shot many times over by the police.
1989 – Constable #30404 Joseph A. Martin earned a Commissioners Commendation for Bravery after he rushed into a burning building in Murray River, N.S and saved the life of Mr. Lemuel Butler.
February 22
1978 – Staff Sergeant Paul Kouri was admitted as a Serving Brother of the Order of St. John by the Governor General of Canada Jules Leger.
1988 – Photograph of Commissioner Norm Inkster and Cpl. JlM. Lloyd (Source of photo – RCMP Quarterly magazine).
1988 – The Commissioner of the RCMP, Norman Inkster attended a Regimental Dinner in Whitehorse Yukon and presented Commissioners Commendations for bravery to #25085 Sergeant E.E. Wasylenka, #28582 Corporal J.M Lloyd and #Constable Y.T. Archibald for their role in apprehending an armed man at Watson Lake Yukon.
February 23
1981 – Commissioners Commendation to #32523 Constable Barry Gray Shannon at Burnaby, BC who pursued and arrested 1 of 2 suspects who had shot at Vancouver City Police car while attempting to escape.
Shannon also the Meritorious Service Medal (see January 24, 1997) while serving in Sarajevo in1993 for two separate acts of bravery for dodging artillery fire to rescue police monitors and leading them to safety from snipers. He served from 1975 to 1999 when he retired as a Cpl. (Looking for more information).
February 24
1885 – Photograph of a NWMP trumpeter at Fort Battleford (Source of photo – RCMP Veterans’ Association – Vancouver Division Photo Collection).
1899 – As a bugler at Depot, #3101 Constable James Burke was charged by Superintendent Howe in the Orderly Room for sounding reveille four minutes late. For his heinous crime he was fined one dollar.
1976 – The Federal Government table’s new criminal legislation, including abolition of hanging, increased minimum sentences for murder, stricter gun control and greater wire-tapping power for police.
1983 – While off duty doing paper work at the Morinville, Alberta Detachment, #37999 Constable Allen Wayne MacDonald responded to a call for assistance at the scene of an overturned propane truck on Highway 28. When he arrived on scene he found he was faced with burning truck that was leaking propane and that there were several people were milling about. Recognizing that the truck was going to explode, he immediately ordered the people to get away from the truck. When a bus load of people arrived Cst. MacDonald placed himself in considerable danger and directed people away from the scene. When the truck exploded he was blown into the ditch and received several scrapes and bruises. For his courage and above average dedication in saving several lives Constable MacDonald was awarded the Commanding Officers Commendation.
Photograph of a RCMP Commissioner’s Commendation For Bravery.
February 25
1940 – Monogram Pictures releases another “Sgt. Renfrew” movie called Murder in the Yukon.
1960 – Commissioners Commendation to #20232 Constable George Rugenius who responded to call to assist QPF near St Bernard, Quebec.
Upon his arrival a man on a porch armed with .22 rifle & ice pick taped to it as a bayonet fired shots at the police. Rugenius climbed stairs and as the man lunged with the rifle, he grabbed the rifle and as he was turning it aside, the suspect fired a shot. The suspect was then subdued and arrested.
1963 – Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker was made a Freeman for the City of London England. A squad of four members which included; #16736 Sgt. Ralph Cave and Constables #21188 / O.1118 John D. Moodie, #21310 J.E. Dunn, and #21515 K.B. Kardish were selected to escort the Prime Minister and Mrs. Diefenbaker’s horse drawn carriage through the streets of London to the official ceremony at Guildhall.
Photograph of the twin brothers: Constable Denis Schlecker (Reg.#25612) and Constable Donald Schlecker (Reg.#24613) being sworn into the Force flanking their proud father. (Source of photo – RCMP Quarterly magazine).
1966 – Twin brothers #24612 Denis Malcolm and #24613 Donald Brian Schlecker are sworn in as regular members of the RCMP at Stoney Plain Alberta. They are not the first brothers to be sworn in, but are believed to be the first twins to join the Mounties on the same day.
February 26
Photograph of Deputy Commissioner Frederick Mead (Source of photo – RCMP Quarterly Magazine 1949).
1926 – Inspector #5117 Frederick Mead left Norway House, Manitoba by dog team and traveled 1000 miles to Trout Lake, in northern Ontario regarding a complaint of two insane natives.
1940 – #12921 Constable Howard Ade took first police dog to ‘L’ Division (Prince Edward Island) as first dog master that division.
1940 – #10960 Constable Ed Williams among those in first reinforcement draft to Provost Corps WWII.
1942 – The Federal Government starts evacuating 21,000 Japanese Canadians from coastal regions of British Columbia to interior work camps; under War Measures Act.
February 27
1977 – The RCMP arrest and charge Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones rock group with possession of heroin with intent to traffic and possession of cocaine. 22 grams of heroin, 5 grams of cocaine and narcotics paraphernalia were seized. Richards is released on $25,000 bail and is convicted in court, but instead of going to jail he is released on condition the Stones play two benefit concerts for the blind.
1979 -Constable Kolstad responded to a report of a two year old boy who was choking on the Nut Lake Indian Reserve. Kolstad had to revive the child three times using CPR. He was awarded the Meritorious Certificate from The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.
1979 – Constables #31204 W.D. Murphy and #33955 R.C. Raike earned Commanding Officers Commendations for bravery after they responded to a disturbance, and were met by man with shotgun. Using tact and patience they succeeded in convincing him to surrender.
Photograph of Sergeant Brent Sawatzky.
2005 – #43132 Corporal Brent Sawatzky won a Silver Medal in the 34th Annual Goodwill Karate-Do Championships, in Costa Mesa, California.
