Evolution of the National RCMP
Grave Location & Maintenance Program:
Database and Website
by
J. J. (Joe) Healy, Reg. # 23685
About the time that I retired in 2001, Cathy, my wife, and I visited her grandfather’s grave site (Reg. #10111 Cpl. JHA Gahagan). His grave is located at Notre Dame Cemetery in Ottawa. We also found another Vet’s grave nearby (Reg. #12318 S/Sgt. R.O. Newman). I began to think that as a post-retirement activity I would like to volunteer to locate, inspect and care for our Vets’ graves.
I began to tour other Ottawa cemeteries including Beechwood Cemetery and St. Joseph’s in Orleans. I made a list of the Vet graves which I knew about in Ottawa and in St. Stephen, New Brunswick (my home Div.). At the Halifax AGM in 2006, I met an old friend Jack O’Reilly of Toronto. Jack and I discovered that we both shared an interest in the Grave Location Program. I met Jack again at the Kelowna AGM where we further explored our interest. We compared notes and the numbers of graves which we had found. I mentioned my progress to our Ottawa President Al Rivard in Kelowna. In October 2007, President Rivard asked me to take the reins of the Ottawa Program and I agreed to do so based on my past interest and research.
I submitted my first report to President Rivard in December, 2007. I recommended that I build a website to house a database of grave sites. I felt this database would be of benefit to all Vets and, through the web, the database would be accessible to all. I started the database mostly from the names which I had previously discovered plus the names in The Quarterly. Meanwhile, Jack O’Reilly sent me some of his data out of Toronto and the Kingston Vets through R.M.S. (Bob) Kraus shared their data with me.
Through e-mails the 3 groups: Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa discovered the benefits of collaboration and coordination. We were able to assist each other in tracking graves and compiling more accurate records. In addition, Jack White of Kamloops kindly gave me permission to access his compilation of invaluable historical records. Additional records came to me from Ms. Karen Appleyard at ‘HQ’ and the Ottawa Vets: Bernie Gagnon, Bob Keeble, Mel Gilbey, Larry Ward, Dan Carroll, Gord Ireland, Ted Yoemans and Brent MacDonald. At that point, the database was beginning to grow into several thousands of names.
In addition to ‘HQ’ and ‘O’ Div. entries, ‘J’ Div. and ‘L’ Div. submitted names to be included in the database. The database was broadening its scope and becoming a national database.
I had also recorded a lot of graves in other countries gleaned from The Quarterly. The database was continuously growing and, as the idea of the program spread through Frank Richter’s weekly note and Jim Forsyth’s Vets Net, more and more Vets sent me names of deceased members and provided the data regarding grave locations all across Canada.
The database is for the benefit of all our Vets and is dedicated to our deceased Vets. Although I was kindly asked by Al Rivard to Chair the Ottawa Grave Program, I quickly discovered the possibilities of expanding the database to include all RCMP Divisions. Many Vets across the country are working very hard with great commitment to compile lists for specific regions; it made sense to bring all these lists together. I want to thank and give full credit to all the Vets across Canada who have sent me data, pictures and stories and who are helping to ensure the accuracy and completeness of our research.
Today, there are over 12,500 deceased Vets listed on the
database going back to 1873. New names are being added each
day and details for each of these deceased Members
continuously being provided. It is very rewarding to be a
part of such a special project and all Vets and active
Members are invited to participate in this national
endeavour.