Memorial to Reg.#6177 Cp Leonard V. Ralls Honour Roll #52

Through the early summer of 1932, there had been several burglaries along the highway through Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada. Just after midnight on July 5, 1932, Reg.#11159 Cst. Michael Novakowski tried to stop a suspicious car which failed to yield to his directions. When he tried to pass the car, the driver cut Novakowski's car off and the occupants began shooting at his police car. Cst. Novakowski stopped at the next village, phoned ahead to Reg.#6177 Cpl Leonard V. Ralls at Foam Lake, described the situation and asked for a roadblock to be set up.

Cpl. Ralls parked his police car on a convenient bridge to prevent passage of the offending car. The wanted car soon arrived, stopped and, in the darkness, one occupant slipped out. As Cpl. Ralls approached the car, he was suddenly shot at from two directions. Cpl. Ralls was mortally wounded, but he managed to return fire while retreating toward his police car. The fugitives then tore the ignition wires from the police car and sped away. Cpl. Ralls managed to call out for help. A nearby neighbor, awakened by the gunfire, came to Ralls' aid and drove him to the local doctor, but he died. He did manage to say that his assailants had fled to the east.

Word of the Corporal's murder spread rapidly (probably from his wife because she had been notified of a shooting, learned it was her husband and attended the doctor's office).

The Officer In Charge of the area, Reg.#O.206 Insp. William J. Moorhead, arrived at Foam Lake from Yorkton to take charge of the search. A radio station in Regina was notified to alert neighbours living in the surrounding areas. Within a day, three aircraft were scouring the countryside and many armed farmers volunteered their assistance. Cst. Novakoski and Reg.#10773 Cst. Walter E. Hutchinson found the abandoned car hidden in thick bush near the village of Lintlaw, SK It had been reported stolen and inside the car stolen property was discovered. Mean while, several sightings of the suspects were being received by the RCMP.

On July 7th, three horses were stolen from a farm near Kelvington, SK and the police posse moved closer to their quarry. Reg. #10851 Cst. Joseph Parsons (later Superintendent) and the Wadena Town Constable found three horses tied to a tree near Kinloch. As they crept closer, suspect Mike Kurulak walked over to the horses and he was promptly arrested. The town constable held the prisoner Kuruluk while Cst. Parsons approached a nearby farmhouse. Suddenly, two men exited. On being called to stop, they drew guns, commenced shooting and fled into nearby bush.

The main posse soon arrived led by Reg.#6495 Sgt. Norman J. Anderson (later Superintendent, Reg.#0.307). From the arrested suspect, police learned that the remaining fugitives were Bill Kurulak (Mike Kurulak's older brother) and Bill Miller. Both of these suspects also had lengthy criminal records. A careful search began of the surrounding bush land.

On July 8th, Bill Kurulak was observed sleeping and he was quiclly arrested Reg.#6163 Cpl. George S. Nutt, Reg.#10949 Cst. Peter Nightingale and Reg. #10904 Cst. Frank Newman. It was learned later, that Bill Kurulak had arrived a farm near Green Water Lake and asked for a place to sleep. The owner gave him a bed, then quietly went to a neighboring farm and called the RCMP. When he was taken into custody, Kurulak had a loaded revolver under his pillow but he was in police hands before he had a chance to reach it.

Miller, the last fugitive at large, was spotted several times through the day but each time he fled in an exchange of gunfire. Late in the afternoon, he was finally surrounded in a large bushy area and there was considerable gunfire from both sides. After a reasonable lull in Miller's return shots, members cautiously entered the bush and found Miller lying dead. He had two serious wounds from police bullets, but he had committed suicide with his own revolver.

The Kurulak brothers were charged with murder. Bill Kurulak was sentenced to hang on December 29, 1932, while the younger brother, Mike, received a reduced sentence of 15 years in the penitentiary for manslaughter.

Cpl. Leonard Ralls is listed #52 RCMP's Honour Roll. He was 44 years of age when he was killed. He had engaged in the RCMP on September 9, 1914 and he was married with four children. (Source: Details summarized with permission from: In the Line of Duty: Volume II From Fort Macleod to Mayerthorpe. By Canadian author Robert Knuckle. General Store Publishing House. Renfrew. Ontario.

Cpl. Ralls is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.rcmp crestRIP

Reg.#6495 Sgt. Norman J. Anderson (later Superintendent, Reg.#0.307) was seconded from the RCMP to the New Brunswick Gov't Highway Safety Council in 1950. Between the years 1952 to 1960 he was Chief Coroner for NB. Superintendent Anderson was a Life member NB Vets and he is buried Wilmot Rural Extension, Lot # 27D near Fredericton, NB.rcmp crestRIP

This story was summarized and edited with permission from the history files of Vet Jack White. I am continually indebted to Jack for the information and the research which he provides for stories which appear on the RCMP National Graves Location and Maintenance website.

J. J. (Joe) Healy
Reg. #23685