Grave Location and Maintenance Program
By
Dave Holmes
In 1997, "L" Division approached PEI Division of RCMP Veterans' Association to take over the RCMP grave inspections in the province and to bill "L" Division for their time and mileage. PEI Division members readily jumped at the chance to help reduce the work load of the RCMP detachments. The first inspections were completed in the fall of 1997 with a report submitted to "L" Division HQ outlining the list of graves inspected and which ones needed cleaning up or work done on.
A photograph was taken of each grave, with a copy submitted with the annual. To date, PEI Division has maintained this annual inspection and kept an up to date list of grave sites of recently departed members. In 2006 we updated our photograph record of the graves which is proof what work needs to be done to what graves. It should be noted that we found the grey regimental head stones were not fairing well as they became blackened with age and the lettering was fading.
The members cleaned up what headstones they could with vinegar and water but the problem with the lettering was referred on to a Headstone Company who does headstone repairs for Veterans Affairs and "L" Division will be billed for the costs.
In 2000, Jack White of Kamloops Division had gone over our list of graves and came up with 10 members who died on PEI but no record of where they were buried. The following was the list:
Reg. #17123 Gilbert Armour BEER died 1993 Summerside; Reg. #11736 Percy Louis BOUDREAULT died 1957 Charlottetown, Reg. #11406 Leo Ignatius BRADLEY died 1956 Charlottetown, Reg. #3513 Seymour FARQUHARSON died 1964 Southport, Reg. #1331 Henry Herbert JENKINS died uk place uk, Reg. #13034 Percy KINCH died 1956 Alberton, Reg. #12265 Patrick Joseph McLEOD died 1980 Charlottetown, Reg. #11743 Joseph Aeneas McPHEE died 1951 Charlottetown, Reg. #11738/O.349 William Joseph Monaghan died 1969 Hazelbrook and Reg. #11400 Neil Alvin Shaw died 1961 Charlottetown.
Our members searched various graveyards and located graves of Percy Kinch, Leo Bradley and Neil Shaw but are still trying to locate the other graves. Seymour Farquharson is buried in cemetery at Cross Roads, PEI but does not have a marker; distant relatives are trying to locate his actual grave.
Of late, we are finding more members are being cremated with the ashes being retained by widow or distributed on a river as was the case of Chester Gilliatt. Widows of Donald Smith and Joseph Martin are still in possession of their ashes.
PEI Division is committed to maintaining these inspections annually and to ensure they are properly cared for.
Dave Holmes
Secretary/Treasurer