Larry Burden’s This Day In The RCMP

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.

June 5

1895 – First Detachment to be established in the Yukon

1895 – Fort Constantine members. Front Row (L to R) – Cst. Pinkerton Cst. Jenkins, Cst. Jenkins, Cst. Telford and S/Sgt Haye. Middle Row (L to R) – Cst. McKellar, Cst. Sinclair, Cst. Murray, Francis Constantine (boy), Insp. Constantine, Insp. Strickland, Dr. Willis and Cst. Churchill. Backrow (L to R) – Cst. Brother, Cat. Gowler, Cat. Thornton, Cst. Brown, Cat. Webster, Cpl. Engel, Cpl. Newbrook and Cst. Ward.

 On this day #O.79 Inspector Charles Constantine departed from Seattle Washington on board the steamer “Excelsior” with the first squad of NWMP to establish a NWMP detachment in the Yukon.

 The squad was the result of a previous trip he and S/Sgt. Charles Brown had made the year before to investigate the situation in 40 mile, the largest community in the gold fields. As a result of his report to Ottawa recommending a detachment of at least forty to fifty men be established and he was sent back to 40 mile with 17 officers and men. Departing by CPR train from Broadview Saskatchewan to Victoria with:

#O.99 D’Arcy  Eward Strickland

 #O.102 Assistant Surgeon Alfred Wills,

#869 Murray Hayne,

#1694 Charles Brown,#2247 Henry Jenkins,

#2323 Everett Ward,

#2400 Frederick Webster,

#2498 Stanley Newbrook,

#2632 John Murray,

#2649 John Brothers,

#2876 John Thornton,

#2884 Donald Sinclair,

#2898 Stanley Churchill,

#2930 Angus McKellor,

#2949 Eldon Jenkins,

#2559 Philip Engel,

#2973 Arthur Pinkerton &

#2989 Matthew Gowler

A month later the group began a 1000-mile journey up river enduring incessant flies and heat finally arriving at their destination on the Yukon River at Forty Mile Creek on July 24, 1895. Then they had to unload their supplies from the riverboats and begin constructing a post before winter. By November they had built eight log buildings with sod roofs that they named “Fort Constantine” and settled in for the winter with temperatures dipping to -73 degrees!

June 6

Image of the North West Mounted Police (Source of image – Vancouver Division – RCMP Veterans’ Association)

1874 – Commissioner George French, along with15 other officers and 201 constables and sub-constables with 244 horses departed Toronto on two Grand Trunk Railway cars en-route to Camp Dufferin (Emerson) Manitoba to begin the march west. Some men fearing being scalped by Indians shaved their heads and were mistaken for “jail birds” by civilian populace because the members were traveling in civilian clothing because the train traveled through the United States.

1944 – D-DAY: Canada’s part in Operation Overlord’s includes 14,000 Canadian soldiers storming Juno beach between Courseulles and St-Aubin-sur-Mer, one of four coordinated attacks involving Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and the Free French Forces across a 60-mile front on the beaches of Normandy launches the allies newest campaign in Europe following the advance on Italy. Clearing the approaches to the beach minesweepers from the Royal Canadian Navy swept the sea for mines as Lancaster bombers and Spitfire fighters attacked Nazi defences.

The Canadian Army is tasked with pushing through the Germans and forcing a gap between Bayeux and Caen. Preceding the attack on Juno Beach were the men from the British Paratroopers and 514 men of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion who jumped into the darkness the night before and rushed foreword to capture a bridge near Caen. Hitting the beach under heavy enemy fire, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division along with the 2nd and 3rd Armoured claw their way to higher ground. By 9:30 am the 8th Brigade capture Bernières-sur-Mer but the advance inland is held up by determined German anti-tank guns hold, who create a traffic jam in the village that slows the Canadians until evening. The Canadian 7th Brigade finally takes the communities of Courseulles, Ste-Croix and Banville but the cost is high in losses of Canadian soldiers. As the push continues on, the 9th Brigade forces its way to Bény and then onto Villons-les-Buissons, four miles short of their objective.
By the end of the day the good news reaches command HQ, Canadian casualties are less than expected only 715 wounded and a mere 359 sons of Canada are dead. Scattered amongst the various Canadian units are serving and former members of the RCMP. History fails to record how many men left their defence of Canada and gave service in the Armed Forces to fight against tyranny in Europe because the official record only kept tract of those who served with the RCMP overseas, not those who took a discharge to serve in the regular military.

1972 – Around 2:30 am, a man walked into the Nanaimo BC Detachment office claiming that he wanted to lay a charge for assault against some kids on bikes that had given him a rough time and damaged his car. He then invited #27210 Constable Donald E. Grudgefield to come outside and inspect the damage to his vehicle. As Grudgefield walked around a file cabinet he saw that the man had suddenly raised a shotgun. The constable attempted to dive for cover between two desks but was hit by a shotgun blast in the abdomen and leg. Constable Grudgefield managed to return fire with his revolver but could not get a clear shot at his assailant. For several minutes the two men talked back and forth with the gunman ranting on about how the police had ruined his life for arresting him for impaired driving, while Grudgefield tried to convince him to give up his shotgun.

After awhile Grudefield began to feel faint from the loss of blood and shock and told the gunman that he needed to get to the hospital. The gunman agreed and then offered to drive him there. Declining his offer, Constable Grudgefield suggested that it would be better if another policeman took him to the hospital. The gunman agreed and then left the building. Grudgefield was then able to call for help and was rushed to the hospital, three hours later the gunman who was identified as John Stanley Puff was arrested.

Puff was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to five years. Constable Donald Grudgefield was awarded a Commanding Officers Commendation for bravery and he eventually returned to work. He retired to pension as a Corporal in 1994.

1975 – At approximately 2 am, Constables #30576 Glenn Brian Calder and #31983 Ronald David Noye of the Unit “B” Freeway Patrol in Coquitlam, BC, received a report of an overturned car burning in the ditch on the Lougheed Highway at the Cape Horn interchange near the Port Mann Bridge.

When they arrived on the scene they discovered that the driver was trapped inside the vehicle screaming “God help me – God save me.” After fire extinguishers failed to douse the flames, Constable Calder went into the ditch and attempted to pry open the car door but was forced back from the vehicle by the intense heat. Constable Noye then joined him, and the pair of police officers made repeated trips into the ditch and as the flames spread towards the fuel tank. They finally managed to pry open the door and pull the badly burned victim out. As the two men were helping the injured man up the bank to the road, the flames ignited the fuel tank and the vehicle exploded. Both constables and the victim suffered severe burns and had to be treated in hospital.

Photograph of the Canadian Medal of Bravery.

For their bravery both men were awarded the Commissioners Commendation on August 16, 1975 and on February 11, 1977 both Constables were presented the Medal of Bravery by the Governor General.

1978 – On this day Mr. Gordon Hemminger made a false claim that he had been assaulted by #33701 Constable Robert Needham after being stopped in his car at Beausejour, Manitoba. The complaint resulted in the constable being charged criminally.

At a later date Hemminger admitted that he had lied about the assault and he was then charged with public mischief and dangerous driving. Upon being convicted he was sentenced to $1,500 in fines and Constable Needham sued him personally and received an out of court settlement.

Robert Needham joined the RCMP in 1976 and died while serving on duty in 1985.

June 7

1927 – The largest ever rally of the Ku Klux Klan in Canada is held at Moose Jaw Saskatchewan.

1958 – Honour Roll Numbers 92, 93, 94, 95, 96.

Photograph of Cpl. Herbert Smart, Cst. Maurice Melnychuk, Cst. Glen Farough, Cst. David Perry and Cst. George Ransom.

While on patrol, five members of the RCMP, #14588 Corporal Herbert Milton Smart, and constables #19469 Maurice Melnychuk, #19478 Glen Frederick Farough, #19879 David Melvyn Perry and #19915 George Herbert Edward Ransom drowned in Lake Simcoe, near Georgina Island, Ontario.

Earlier in the day 33-year-old Corporal Herbert Smart and his four-member patrol had arrested four men for offences under the Indian Act. Around 10:30 pm that evening the five policemen were observed launching a 14 foot (4.25 meters) police boat with 35 hp outboard motor, on Lake Simcoe near Jackson’s Point, in calm weather. While the members were on the lake, a sudden and violent electrical storm swept across the lake swamping the boat.

When the patrol had not returned, a search was undertaken the next day and the boat was found mid-lake floating upside down. The body of Cpl. Herbert Smart was found later that day. On June 26th, the bodies of Maurice Melnychuk and Glen Farough were found while the body of David Perry was located on June 30th. Constable George Ransom’s body wasn’t located until July 9th.

The purpose of the late night patrol was never determined, but it was believed to have been connected to the arrests earlier that day. The disaster occurred so fast that none of the members was able to get a life jacket on.

Herbert Smart was buried in the Maplewood Cemetery at Windsor Nova Scotia he was survived by his wife Reta and their two daughters.
Maurice Melnychuk also 21 had just completed two year’s service in the Force. He was buried in his hometown of Price George BC.Glen Farough was only 21 years old and had two years service. His body was returned to his home in Stockton Manitoba where after a funeral at the Stockton Church he was buried at the Glenbow Cemetery.

David Perry’s at 19 was the youngest member of the group had 14 months service. His remains were retuned to his mother in Vancouver and interred at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in North Vancouver.

George Ransom age 21 was the junior constable in the squad having only served 14 months service. His remains were taken back to Melville, Saskatchewan and his parents buried in the town cemetery.

June 8

1889 – Honour Roll Number 136.

Photograph of the RCMP Cenotaph at “Depot” Division. In red, the name of Constable Alfred Perry (Reg.#2181) is highlighted (Source of photo – Sheldon Boles).

Twenty-year-old Constable #2181 Alfred Perry drowned in the Belly River, near Lethbridge Alberta.

On Thursday June 6th Constable Perry left Lethbridge Alberta to ride 20 miles to his detachment on the west side of the Belly River. Due to the high water in the river Constable Perry chose to take the ferry across but could not locate his detachment so he returned on the ferry and told the ferry operator that he would ride down river and find a shallow crossing. When he did not arrive at his post by Saturday a search party of 18 men was organized and dispatched to scour the area. In the process they learned that he had spent a night at the “Fixely and Weir” Ranch and had set out the following morning. The search team found signs that he attempted to ford the river in several different locations and after splitting the team in two, they located a spot where his horse tracks entered the river but did not come out on either side. Shortly afterwards his horse was located on the other side of the river still saddled. Additional searching revealed that Perry had spoken to a local farmer who had warned him of the treacherous conditions of the river in that area and had offered to put him up for the night. It was concluded that his horse had thrown him while crossing the river and though he was a good swimmer, he had not made it out alive. Ten days later his badly damaged body was located downstream. Alfred Perry had emigrated from England and had only been in the Mounted Police eleven months. He was buried at the Mountain View Cemetery, Lethbridge, Alberta.

1906 – Honour Roll Number 29.

Photograph of the RCMP Cenotaph at “Depot” Division with the red colour highlighting the name of Constable Thomas Robert Jackson (Reg.#4119) (Source of photo – Sheldon Boles).

While on patrol, #4119 Constable Thomas Robert Jackson age 34 drowned when fording Six Mile Creek in Saskatchewan.

On June 6th 1906, Constable Jackson left Maple Creek Saskatchewan to ride to his detachment at Ten Mile. A witness had seen riding on the west bank of Six Mile Creek on June 8th but he never reached his detachment. On June 10th al local farmer found Jackson’s exhausted horse still saddled struggling to get up the bank of the creek. A search party was quickly organized and Jackson’s body was found a half-mile downstream the following day. It will never be known why he attempted to ford the swollen creek instead of traveling further upstream and crossing at Spangler’s Bridge. Cst. Jackson was single and had immigrated to Canada from his home in Brighton England where he had worked as a laborer and served in the British Army with the Royal Engineers. He was buried in Plot 5 of the RCMP Cemetery at Fort Walsh.

1912 – American Arctic explorer Harry V. Radford is murdered near Baker Lake resulting in the longest manhunt in the Forces history conducted by Inspectors. J. Beyts and F.H. French.

1935 – Ambassador Pictures release the 60 minute “Code of the Mounted” starring Kermit Maynard in his 5th of nine Mountie movies. In this role Maynard plays Sergeant Jim Wilson, in a tale of captured murderer who is broken out of jail by a woman who is a ruthless killer and leader of the criminal gang.

1944 – #12392 Constable Howard Fitzallen is wounded in action, while serving with the Provost Corps in Italy during WW2. Fitzallen joined the RCMP in 1934 and transferred to the military on November 1st, 1939 and served until June 8th 1944. After the war he returned to work and served in the RCMP until he retired as a Corporal in 1954.

1962 – In protest over the laying of criminal charges of intimidation against 71 members of the sects Freedom Council, 50 naked Doukhobor Freedomite women burned their homes to the ground in the area around Trail BC. The women then threw rocks at the RCMP and media. Later that month a group of Doukhobor women disrobed in front of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker as he is making a campaign speech in Trail.

1968 – Honour Roll Number 139.

Photograph of Corporal Terry Gerrard Williams (Reg.#19508) (Source of photo – RCMP Quarterly – Volume 35 – No.3).

#19508 Cpl. Terry Gerrard Williams age 32 drowned in boating accident, in Sheet Harbour Passage, Halifax County, N.S.

Corporal Williams accompanied by school principal Hilary Brown was conducting routine Small Vessels patrol in Sheet Harbour. Around 10 am the seas became rough and witnesses observed the two rowing their small boat. Though the stern of the boat was low they did not seem to be in any difficulty. At approximately 1:50 pm, a local fisherman found the empty boat swamped. A search was conducted and Corporal William’s body was found at 5:30 pm, Hilary Brown’s body was recovered 3 days later.

Cpl. Williams had served in the RCMP for 13 years, and saw lots of the country in his short career having been posted in Ottawa, Newfoundland, Yukon and Nova Scotia. After his funeral his wife and three children scattered his ashes at sea.

In 1971 the “Corporal TG Williams Memorial Trophy” was established in his honour for highest score obtained in annual Division shoot.

1975 – The Saint John Ambulance Meritorious Certificate was awarded to #29458 Constables Allan B. Wellwood and #28672 Graham L. Geddes for saving the life of Mrs. Ferguson by performing cardio pulmonary resuscitation at Lynn Lake, Manitoba.

2000 – 99 year old former Mountie drives his first police car!

Former RNWMP Constable #8740 Ernest Gibson had served in the RNWMP and the RCMP from 1919 to 1921. His career was cut short when an armed suspect that he was chasing in 1921 shot him in the knee. The wound led to his being medically invalided and forced him to retire from the Force. To celebrate his 99th birthday, members of the Central Vancouver Island RCMP Veterans Association arranged for him to drive a police car, this was the first he had ever driven one, haven only rode a horse while a member of the Force.

Ernest Gibson died on January 20th, 2004 at Comox, B.C. at age 102, then the oldest known veteran of the Force.

June 9

1934 – RCMP Musical Ride performs in Portland Oregon. Members of this ride were from the RCMP Fairmount Barracks in Vancouver (Source of photo – Ione Christensen).

1934 – Seventeen men lead by Inspector H.M. Howell parade on horseback through the streets of Portland Oregon at the Rose Festival. Where at the Multnomah they gave an exhibition of mounted drill. The event was recorded in the Portland Oregonians editorial where the writer commented on the thunderous applause along the entire parade route.

1976 -Four members receive Commanding Officers Commendations for their role in the rescue of a pilot and two RCMP passengers near Richer, Manitoba. The four members; #16752 Fabian Pavelick #18788 Donald Belfry, #26417 Alexander Graham and #27583 Brian Montemurro responded to the scene where a traffic observation plane had crashed. The pilot and his two passengers survived.

1985 – At approximately 11:30 pm Constable Bert Schmidt observed a car traveling at a high rate of speed. When he went after the suspect vehicle it became involved in a collision and caught on fire. The suspect driver then ran from the car leaving his passenger trapped inside the burning vehicle. Without hesitation, Constable Schmidt ran over to the burning vehicle and unable to open the passenger door, he smashed out the window and pulled her to safety. For his courage and quick thinking in saving the woman’s life he was awarded a Commanding Officers Commendation.

Photograph of a RCMP Commissioner’s Commendation For Bravery.

1987 – While serving at Mission, British Columbia, #37087 Constable Terry Betts responded to an incident where an armed mentally deranged man was threatening the life of another policeman. Constable Betts distracted the suspect thereby drawing his attention away from the other member and preventing the death of his coworker. Betts was awarded a Commendation for bravery.

June 10

1929 – Due to concerns over its sovereignty the Canadian government clamps down on foreign access to the Canadian Arctic. From this day forward foreign Arctic explorers are required to register with the RCMP.

1940 – The following members of the RCMP became part of the 3rd reinforcement draft to Provost Corps in WWII:

#8470 Sgt Frank Smith,

#9423 Constable Thomas Fisher,

#10292 Constable James Greene,

#10351 Constable Thomas Jones,

#10794 Constable Robert Gammie,

#11063 Constable Reginald Duff,

#12527 Constable John Acland

1996 – On this day, constables, #36470 D.M. Bishop and #36738 Dennis Esayenko responded to a complaint involving a glue sniffing youth who was armed and barricaded at a house in Pond Inlet, NWT . Upon their arrival the suspect fired shots into their police car. The members took cover and called in backup. Due to the remote location their backup had to fly to the scene and arrived 12 hours later. After the plane stopped in Clyde River, six additional members #36070 Robert Elliot; #37512 Thomas Raine, #37786 Larry Sharbell, #40559 Lorne Adamitz, #36396 Howard Eaton and #35784 John Ennis arrived. The members decided to prepare a drugged sandwich for the suspect to eat but in the interim the suspect began firing more shots at the police. They responded by firing tear gas into the house and the youth finally surrendered. A hungry fireman who was on standby at the scene saw the sandwich and ate it. Shortly thereafter he fell into a very deep sleep!

2003 – Honour Roll Number 202.

Photograph of the RCMP Memorial at the Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa.  Name of Constable Joseph Maurice as it appears on the memorial block (Source of photo – Sheldon Boles).

#40876 Constable Joseph Leo Ghislain “Gus” Maurice, age 35. Died as a result of a police motor vehicle accident, on Highway 21 near Sherwood Park, Alberta.

Constable Maurice was working traffic enforcement on Highway 21 on the eastern side of Edmonton and was in the process of conducting a u-turn in his unmarked police car so he could catch a speeding vehicle. Unfortunately the driver of a gravel truck that was traveling behind him didn’t expect him to cut across the road in front of him and couldn’t stop quick enough to avoid crashing into the police car. The gravel truck smashed into the drivers’ door and demolished the police car killing Cst. Maurice instantly.

Over 1200 people attended the 14-year veterans funeral in Sherwood Park and many others attended a second service in his hometown of Hull Quebec, including the Commissioner of the RCMP. Over the course of his career Gus Maurice served in the Albertan communities of Evansberg, Cardston, and Sherwood Park and participated in a United Nations Peace Keeping mission in Haiti. Seven months after his death his wife Kathy gave birth to their second child.

June 11

1940 – Four of the members, who transferred to the military in the 3rd reinforcement draft to Provost Corps on this day, were subsequently wounded in action.

Photograph of members of the RCMP Number 1 Canadian Provost Corps (Source of photo – Ric Hall’s Photo Collection).

#12919 George Rose was injured in a motor vehicle accident in Italy. #11939 Reginald Rance and #10292 James Greene were wounded by shellfire, Ortono, Italy. #13234 Frederick McCutcheon lost a leg in motorcycle accident in England.

Three of the four members transferred back to active service with the RCMP after the war. George Rose joined the RCMP in 1937 and retired a Corporal in 1959,

Reginald Rance served from 1932 to 1953 retiring a Sergeant and James Greene served in the Force from 1927 to 1947 as Constable. Constable Fred McCutcheon served from 1939 to 1945 and received a medical discharge.

1953 – On this day in 1953 two members of the Royal Canadian Air Force parachuted into the remote community of Copper Mine NWT one thousand miles north of Edmonton, to provide emergency medical assistance to #15068 Constable Victor Patrick Cormier who was gravely ill.

Cormier had recently returned to his two-man detachment after an extended 30-day dog sled patrol and the next day while investigating a complaint of a theft he fell through the sea ice. The ice was beginning to melt and foam on the surface of the water appeared as snow and ice making it extremely difficult to tell solid ice from mush. Fortunately for Vic Cormier, when he fell through the ice he was able to catch solid ice with his elbows and managed to pull himself out of the water but after taking a few more steps he fell through the ice a second time. Pulling himself out again, he managed to crawl and stagger back to the detachment nearly frozen. He dried himself off and changed into dry clothing and had a couple of glasses of rum for the bottle that was kept for “medical emergencies and then crawled into bed. Due to his weakened state from both the arduous 30-day patrol he had finished and falling through the ice he became sick and developed a very high fever.

The community nurse could not get his 104 degree temperature to come down so she contacted the radioed the nearest doctor, 550 air miles away at Fort Radium who ordered that Cormier be evacuated to a hospital.

Unfortunately due to the local ice conditions neither a ski or pontoon plane could land, so a request was made to the RCAF for assistance. The air force responded by flying Dr. John R. W. Wynne from Vancouver who picked up Cpl. Jack Strachan in Edmonton and they carried on to Copper Mine. When they arrived over the settlement they first dropped medical supplies by parachute and then both men parachuted to the scene. As they drifted downward, a local Inuit woman seeing men floating to the ground, was so shocked that she fainted.

After gathering up their equipment, the medical team rushed to their patient’s bedside and after quick examination Dr. Wynne asked Cormier if he knew any prayers. When Vic said yes and asked why the good doctor advised him that he was going to insert a large needle into Cormier’s chest and if puss came out he was going to die because there would be little the medial staff could do for him. Fortunately only fluid was extracted and the doctor was able to drain the fluid from between his lung and chest cavity. This procedure continued for six days until the river ice cleared and they were able to airlift constable Cormier to Yellowknife. Vic Cormier spent nearly a year in hospital and a sanatorium in Quebec because they discovered that he had been exposed to tuberculosis, which was rampant in Inuit communities at the time.

Vic Cormier was finally able to return to active duty and was posted to Montreal and retired as a Sergeant in 1966.

Cormier joined the RCMP in 1947 after serving in the Royal Canadian Navy in WW2 as the only native Cape Breton’r aboard the HMCS Glace Bay. After retiring a second time he moved back to his hometown of Belle Côte on Cape Breton Island and became involved as a community volunteer in the annual Terry Fox Run and did his last run at the age of 78 shortly after recovering from surgery. His support of the Terry Fox Runs was recognized when on June 16, 2004 the Governor General honored Vic Cormier by be awarding him the “Caring Canadian Award”. Just before he died of cancer in 2006, Terry Fox’s brother Darrell Fox traveled to Cape Breton Island, to personally thank him for raising more money in Nova Scotia than any other single person. By the time Darrell Fox arrived Vic’s battle with cancer had put him in the hospital in Cheticamp so Darrell went to his bedside and spent some time with Vic. A few days later, Victor Patrick Cormier the man who cheated death in the Navy and in the RCMP succumbed to cancer, but by the time he died, Vic Cormier had single handedly raised $125,167.70, for Terry Fox Run over 22 years, quite a feat for a man who lived in a remote village on the eastern shore of Cape Breton Island.

Amazing as his story was it gets better, for 52 years after Dr. Wynne saved his life in the Arctic he and Vic reconnected and in the renewal of their friendship they discovered that Vic’s granddaughter and Dr. Wynne’s grandson had been going to the same schools together in North Vancouver and known each other most of their lives and if not for the doctor saving his life in 1953, Vic’s granddaughter would never have existed let alone gone to school for twelve years with Dr. Wynne’s grandson!

June 12

1940 – Constables #10297 Thomas Brown, #11003 Charles Patterson and #13170 Howard Puffer transferred to the military 3rd reinforcement draft to Provost Corps in WW2.

1947 – The first broadcast of the popular radio show “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon” was made this day from New York City. The radio drama was about the adventures of a Canadian Mountie and his trusty dog, King. The show continued to be broadcast on radio until 1955 when it became a television show that ran until 1958. In addition to creating Sgt. Preston, the writing team of George W. Trendle and Fran Striker also created The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet dramas.

1985 – While on patrol in Surrey BC, Constable Jack Saunders encountered two men fighting outside of a local hotel. As he got out of his patrol car he caught sight of one man hiding a knife in his clothing while the second man lay writhing on the ground. He quickly examined the fallen man and discovered he had been stabbed in the chest. He immediately placed him in his police car and rushed him to the nearest hospital applying pressure to the wound as he drove. The victim was then rushed into emergency surgery where they repaired a punctured aorta. The assailant was later arrested and convicted of assault and Constable Sanders was awarded a Meritorious Certificate from the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem for saving the mans life.
2003 – Canada Post releases a new 65¢ stamp commemorating RCMP Depot Division in Regina Saskatchewan as part of a series of stamps on Canadian Tourist attractions.