Commissioners' Monuments
Commissioner J. F. MacLeod
Commissioner MacLeod served from July 22, 1876 - October 31, 1880
Commissioner L. H. Nicholson
Click on picture for larger version
Commissioner Leonard Hanson Nicholson, M.B.E. is referred to and often remembered as ‘the RCMP’s best Commissioner’ because he was so widely respected and admired. Commissioner Nicholson, informally known as ‘Mr. Nick’, joined the Force from Mount Middleton, NB in 1923 at age 19. He joined the war effort in 1941 and served in Africa, Italy and northern Europe. He rejoined the Force after the war and he continued to progress by promotion through RCMP ranks. He served in the RCMP from May 1, 1951 to March 31, 1959 and he was the 10th Commissioner of the Force.
Commissioner Nicholson resigned in protest 1959 when Prime Minister Diefenbaker refused to support his decision to send reinforcements to help the RCMP manage the loggers’ strike in Newfoundland. Commissioner Nicholson died in 1983 at age 78.
This picture of the Commissioner Nicholson monument is located about six kilometres north-east of Sussex, New Brunswick. The monument was dedicated by Commissioner Beverly Busson on June 5, 2007 which was the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the RCMP serving in the Maritimes. Also present at the ceremonial were Commissioner Nicholson’s sister Blanche Nicholson-McCleave and his daughters Marjorie Galbraith and Mary Anne Nicholson. The Nicholson family extended their deep appreciation to Frank and Janet Robinson of Mount Middleton who spearheaded the Nicholson project.
I wish to thank my troopmate, G.G. (Gerry) Clarke, Reg. # 23683 who lives with his wife Linda in the Sussex area of NB for sending me the photograph of the Commissioner Nicholson monument.
Source: Kings County Record: Friends & Neighbours. June 12, 2007. Section B, page B1.