Acknowledgements
This website is the result of the active collaboration of many RCMP Vets, Members as well as others who have expertise in a variety of areas. The input of all who help maintain this website is invaluable and appreciated.
I would like to acknowledge especially:
Jack O’Reilly of ‘O’ Div. has devoted
his life since retirement to researching, locating and caring for Vets’ graves.
Jack (left center) has been thoroughly committed to the Graves Program and he deserves recognition.
From the inception of
this website, Jack has collaborated closely with me by
providing material and by proofreading data. I rely on Jack
and his wife Diane for help, encouragement and great
ideas.
Wayne Barry of 'O' Div. (immediate right) also deserves a heartfelt
vote of thanks for his help with our Program. Wayne and Jack O'Reilly work well together and they continue day after day 'to sleuth' through obituries, newspapers and
web searches.
Jack White of Kamloops, BC for his endless help. Nearly each day Jack sends me a
'little gem or nugget of data' which helps to fill in a
gap. I could not continue my research without Jack’s
encouragement. He is a marvelous RCMP historian. Much of the
information found in the National Graves Database has been provided with
the willingness and kind permission of Jack White.
Vet. CSM Mel Gilbey of Ottawa for sharing his history files;
the creation of his files involved innumerable hours of
labour and great dedication.
Kenn Barker and Malcolm Wake of Regina, SK for researching and organizing all the gravesites at the RCMP Cemetery 'Depot' Division.
RCMP Historian Glenn Wright for his friendship and for responding to the tough
questions about the early history of the Force.
Former RCMP Historian Sandy Ramos for her ongoing encouragement and for her
speedy response to questions about the Force. Sandy recently accepted a new position with National
Archives in Ottawa but she continues to provide valuable help with research and consultation.
Gerry Vullings, friend and retired teacher, for his computer wizardry, technical
problem-solving, advice and endless patience. Gerry helped me with the
design of the database and with solving frequent 'glitches' which arise
with a large National Graves database.
Mr. Reg Keatley, Friend of the Force in Calgary, AB has provided several hundreds of photographs of
graves from 'K' Div. and from other regions of Canada. Mr. Keatley has also unearthed graves which were
thought to have been lost. In one case, he scratched around the base of a tree and uncovered a grave of a
long deceased member. He has also found valuable data in libraries which required his persistence. Thank you Reg!
'K' Div. Vet AJH 'Joe' Collinson in Edmonton, AB is a very loyal friend and a valuable researcher
for our Graves Location and Maintenance Program. Joe has also provided hundreds of photos from 'K' Div.
especially from the Edmonton area and northern Alberta.
Joe Collinson has also found hundreds of memorials to RCMP members who were +killed overseas including war in South Africa, France, Belguim and Italy. He has also listed hundreds of RNWMP and RCMP members who were killed in action. Thank you Joe for your great support!
Vet. John Henderson has been a police
officer friend going back to 'Depot' days in 1975. John has kindly provided our Program with a throughly
researched list of RCMP members who left the Force to join the Royal Air Force or the Royal Canadian Air Force before
or during WW II. .
Leading up to war, a huge number of RCMP members left the Force and joined either the RAF or the RCAF as pilots, technicians or air crew. Many of these members gave their lives for Canada in the line of duty. Due to John Henderson's research skills and long interest in the history of the Force many of these former members have now been identified.
This snippet is told by John Henderson. One example of a former RCMP member who switched to the RCAF was Pilot Officer Service# J/21312 Thomas Albert Kidd Watterson (Reg.#12295) of Manotick, ON. In 1943, pilot Watterson was attached to #145 BR Squadron but he died suddenly on February 14, 1943 at the age of 30 years.
Watterson's crew of a Hudson #771 were on a navigational training flight between Torbay, NL and Dartmouth when they crashed and disappeared on their pending approach to RCAF Station, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
Twenty-one months later, on November 6, 1944, the crash site with six skeletons was discovered by a hunting party a mere 11 miles from the Dartmouth, RCAF Station Airport.
Son of L/Col. T.A. Watterson MD and Jessie G. Watterson, ON, their son (RCMP Reg.# 12295) PO Watterson in buried in the Elmview Cemetery (Anglican - Presbyterian) in Kars, ON.
John, your devotion and support to our Graves Program is invaluable and sincerely appreciated. Thank you!
Vet. Robert Mead from 'B' Div. also deserves our sincere thanks for providing support to the Graves Location
and Maintenance Program. Bob has successfully collected hundreds of deceased RCMP names from various Newfoundland and
Labrador regions. Bob, thank you for your ongoing help and for representing the Island!
Jim Forsyth and Frank Richter for helping to spread the
word and solicit assistance.
I sincerely thank all Vets, Members of the Force, families and
friends from around the world who have contributed information or stories about deceased members.
Gregory Healy of New Brunswick for devoting countless hours to inputting
data plus designing a dynamic website.
Sean Healy also of New Brunswick for devoting countless hours
to inputting data from 'The Quarterly' whilst being subjected to Uncle Joe’s “soothing Sinatra” music.