Ric Hall’s Photo Corner

For this week, Ric Hall has selected the photo theme of “Force Group Photographs.”

Since the introduction of the camera, Force members have grouped together to capture the moment.  Despite the passing of time, it is these old group photographs which provide a glimpse at the individual members who all in their own way contributed to the history of the Force and the confidence the Canadian public.

The first photograph below contains several notable past members of the Force.  Can you pick them out?

Veteran Dan Lemieux provided some details about the members in the above photograph:

Commissioner Nicholson – we were very proud of him when he resigned because the government tried to tell him what to do in Newfoundland.  He felt the Force was independent and not influenced by politics);

Corps Sergeant Major Jock Taylor – he was my drill instructor when I was a recruit in Depot and he was also the Sergeant Major in Edmonton;

Blackie Paige – he was a Firearms and Drill Instructor in Depot and later became the Sergeant Major in Edmonton; and

Bill Morgan was the NCO ic North Vancouver and UBC Detachment.  He had a beautiful young wife named Lexie and we socialized with them.

The following is a mystery and is only marked on the reverse of the photograph as “Quilicum Beach” – Vancouver Island British Columbia.  Do you know anyone in the photograph or when it was taken.  Ric believes the photo was take in the early 1950s.

Early 1950s – Photograph of RCMP members taken at Qualicum Beach British Columbia. (Source of photo – Ric Hall’s Photo Collection).

According to Veteran Dan Lemieux (who submitted this photograph and the Ottawa Advanced Training photo), Veteran Bud Godfrey Reg. #16409) is seated in the front row second from the left.

Godrey was a BC Provincial Police member stationed in Victoria when the RCMP absorbed the provincial police on August 15, 1950.  While in the Force, he was stationed in “E”, “F”, HQ Ottawa (commissioned), “D”, and “E.”  His last posting was the Officer Commanding Chilliwack Subdivision. The following photograph contains several of our Vancouver Division Veterans.

Photograph of Surrey Detachment’s General Investigation Section (Source of photo – Veteran Dennis Ratcliffe)

The following photograph is an interesting mix of RCMP, provincial and municipal police members.  Only the Commanding Officer of “Depot” Division has been identified in this photograph.

1946 – Photograph of the Canadian Police College class in Regina. The Commanding Officer of “Depot” Division is seated in the middle of the front row – Robson Armitage (Source of photo – Ric Hall’s Photo Collection).

If you have any old photographs which you would like to share and be included in a forthcoming Photo Corner, please email Ric Hall at rshall69@shaw.ca