Ric Hall: Riding With VPD Mounted Squad

Veteran Ric Hall sent us the following details and photographs.

“Our friend Veteran Fred Stark continues to go through his old photos and sent along these two taken in 1964 taken in Stanley Park. Three members, including yours truly, were assigned to ride with the VPD Mounted Squad in a ceremony for the opening of the new Agrodome at the PNE. We trained with them a few times over a month or so, then rode from Stanley Park along Hastings to the PNE grounds. We used all the VPD Equipment, except for the MP saddle blankets (shabracks), which were sent to us from “Depot”.

The members from left are Gary Carlson, Reg # 22488, George Nussbaumer, Reg # 22302, and myself, Reg # 22248. The only VPD member’s name I remember is Jake Bachmayer on the far right. He was the Sgt. i/c of the VPD Mounted Squad. The squad came under VPD Insp. Bud Errington, who was quite well known in those days for his expertise in riot control. Second photo is of a very young and I must say the epitome of a “Mounted Policeman” Fred Stark.

After we had finished this assignment, I frequently went back on the rare day off we had then, and rode with the VPD guys through the trails of Stanley Park, jumping logs on the beach in winter, etc. Fond memories.”

If you have old Force photographs that we could included in a forthcoming webpage, please email Ric Hall at rshall69@shaw.ca.