Title: | The Glorious 90 |
Author: | Helen C. Escott |
Publisher: | Flanker Press |
Date: | Aug. 1, 2020 |
Item Type: | Narrative |
Item Format: | Book Section |
URL: | |
Description: | |
Note: | This story is from the memoir: In Search of Adventure - 70 Years of the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador published by Flanker Press and available for sale at indigo.ca amazon.com flankerpress.com |
Attribution: | Escott, Helen C. In Search of Adventure - 70 Years of the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador. Flanker Press, 2020. https://www.helencescott.com/. |
Newfoundland officially joined Canada at midnight, March 31st, 1949. The next day, April first, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police officially arrived in the country’s newest province. But the Mounties actually arrived in the province on March 21st, 1949. On that date, eight Mounties arrived by RCMP aircraft to form the first permanent troop in the newly created B Division.
The first eight included: #11392 Inspector Tony D.A. McKinnon, #12035 Sgt. Bernard Peck, #10544 Sgt. Theodore Bolstad, #12373 Cst. Alexander Gillespie, #11761 Cst. Alexander Ewing, #11686 Cst. Bernard Harvey, #12627 Cpl. Lawrence Gilchrist, and #12642 Cst. Archibald Watson.
The next day, #14510 Cst. Joseph A. Pinto arrived on the ferry driving the first RCMP police car to be used on the Island.
They had their work cut out for them. Their duties included: setting up the new ‘B’ Division Head Quarters on Kenna’s Hill, and begin preparations for the planned absorption of Newfoundland Rangers.
The RCMP took over the duties of the former Newfoundland Rangers and members of the Newfoundland Constabulary serving outside St. John’s.
The Force was given a policing contract for all of Newfoundland and Labrador except for the capital city.
For the first year, RCMP Members performed Federal duties. Then on August first, 1950 all fifty-five Members of the Newfoundland Rangers and thirty-five Members of the Newfoundland Constabulary became Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It was the beginning of the RCMP’s contract policing history in this province.
Former Sergeant Major E.J. Delaney referred to them as the “Glorious 90” and hand wrote on the cover of their personal folder:” Never in the history of the Force have so many got away with so much without being caught.”
Several Members of the Newfoundland Customs Service and the Marine Division of the Newfoundland Customs Service were engaged in the RCMP as Special Constables on April 16, 1949. Most were subsequently employed by Canada Customs. A few remained in Force as Special Constables in Marine Division.
Eventually the growth in the establishment of the RCMP led to the force opening sub-division headquarters in Corner Brook and St. John’s in 1954. As the force continued to expand, sub-divisions were then added in Gander and Labrador.
The RCMP absorbed the Newfoundland Rangers and members of the Newfoundland Constabulary, but they were not the first Newfoundlanders to join the Force. That honour goes to Regimental No. 2178 Constable Ernest Peyton who joined the North West Mounted Police, the forerunner of the RCMP, in 1888. He was the son of a prominent family from Twillingate and was believed to be 21 at the time. Cst. Peyton served for only three months. He succumbed to a sudden illness on September 25, 1888. A plaque honouring Cst. Peyton is proudly displayed at the Twillingate Museum.