True and Fascinating Canadian History
The Constable Terry Tomfohr Memorial
'E' Div. Burnaby Detachment. Burnaby, BC
About three weeks after his arrival at Burnaby Detachment, Cst. Tomfohr responded to a complaint of unruly youths in the vicinity of Burnaby Mountain. It was after dark, and while searching for the youths in the thickly wooded area, Cst. Tomfohr fell over a ravine to his death.
The location of Constable Tomfohr's death is not far from the present day site of Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC.
Cst. Tomfohr’s funeral was the first of many, many services which I attended throughout my RCMP career.
I did not know him but my memory of his death is vivid after nearly fifty years. I can recall listening to the police radio of the search party of other members throughout the night of his disappearance. I was on duty nearby at Pattullo Bridge Detachment. I had been posted to Pattullo Bridge from Burnaby Detachment at the time that Cst. Tomfohr arrived from ‘Depot'.
This wreath is set at the Reg. #25214, Terry Tomfohr Memorial which is
located at 'E' Division's Burnaby Detachment, Burnaby, BC
'Friends Not Forgotten'
I am very appreciative to Reg.#53977, Cst. Matt MacLeod Burnaby RCMP General Duty, A-Watch for sending me the photographs of Cst. Tomfohr’s Memorial which stands at Burnaby Detachment.
at Milk River which is south of Lethbridge, AB.
On Wednesday, June 3, 2015, Burnaby Detachment will mark the 48th anniversary of the tragic death of Reg.# 25214, Cst. Terry Tomfohr, who died while on-duty at Burnaby, BC. Each year members, employees, volunteers and guests commemorate this anniversary with a brief service at the memorial cairn and flag poles near the south entrance to the Detachment.
Following Basic Training at 'Depot' in Regina, SK, Cst. Tomfohr, a 19-year old Recruit (new member) had been stationed at Burnaby Detachment for only three weeks when his life came to a tragic end. In the early morning hours of June 3, 1967, Cst Tomfohr and his Trainer (Field Coach) were investigating a complaint of several youths harassing an elderly woman in her home in the Capitol Hill area of North Burnaby.
Constable Tomfohr became separated from the other attending police officers while pursuing the youths in the dark. It was during the pursuit Cst.Tomfohr accidentally fell off a cliff. A massive search was undertaken and it was not until daylight that Cst. Tomfohr 's remains were located at the base of the cliff.
In 2002, under the direction of then Insp. Fraser MacRae (now A/Commr. rtd), Sgt. Rod Booth (now C/Supt. rtd) and Cst. Stephan Drolet (now Supt. and OIC Operations, Burnaby Detachment), a permanent memorial at the base of the flagstaff outside Burnaby Detachment's front entrance was erected in Cst. Tomfohr's memory.
In 2012, through the efforts of S/Sgt. Dave Eidet and his committee, the memorial was upgraded and a large cairn was erected on the original site.
I invite all members, retired members, employees, retired employees and volunteers to join me on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 10:45 am at the front of the Detachment for a brief ceremony to pay tribute to Cst.Terry Tomfohr.
D. T. Critchley, C/Supt.
OIC Burnaby Detachment
The new Reg.#25214, Terry Tomfohr Memorial,
at Burnaby, BC Detachment. Summer 2015.
Reporting from Fort Healy,
J. J. (Buffalo Joe) Healy
2015
