A Brief History of the President’s Gavel & Vancouver Division
July 4, 2017
At the last General Meeting of 2017, before the summer break, President Donna Morse asked if I would do some research on the names of past presidents of the Vancouver Association etched on the President’s Gavel box.
Upon opening the box there was the gavel and knocker inside laying on some bubble wrap. Upon closer examination, there was an envelope under the bubble wrap containing two documents authored by Past President Dave Turnbull in 2004.
The first was a letter explaining the President’s Gavel and Case dated December 24, 2004;
“We ran out of space on our old gavel stand or base to mount any future plaques to recognize past president. Therefore, I took it upon myself to construct a new one. A few words about this project and the end result might be in order.
The gavel is the mallet, the case if variously known as the gavel case or the gavel mount and the third piece is the knocker which is also known as the striker.
The gavel stand is made from teak wood that I was able to secure from a wood products recycling company. The purple colour trim is known as purple heart, the gavel head and striker are from an Alberta tree known as Caragana Bush or Caragana Tree. I chose this particular piece of wood because it is from a Caragana Bush that I planted for my mother in 1952 the year I joined the RCMP. I removed this piece from the bush in 2002 therefore I can say with a lot of certainty that it lived for 50 years and will hopefully live on for many more years in it’s second life.
Teak has a very high oil content and is therefore left unfinished with the exception of maybe a little teak oil and wax. At the time of its construction the teak was a middle brown colour but it will likely darken considerably over the years. The fact that the name plaques are nailed to the case is because of the high oil content of the teak. Given time this oil would penetrate the double backed tape usually used to mount plaques and cause them to be released. Inside the case I have left a sample of a plaque which gives the size and colour to be used along with the nail hole placement for future plaques. I have also left a quantity of mounting nails so that the conformity might be maintained. You will note that there is space left for 15 name plaques. This should be sufficient until the year 2034.
For old times sake and obviously for the last time, I will sign off the way so many of us did while on detachment in the in the “Good Old” days.
I have the honour to be sir, your obedient servant,
Reg # 18011, S/Sgt. Turnbull, D.C.”
The following document also found in the gavel box outlines a brief history of the RCMP Veterans’ Association – Vancouver Division.
“As a part of a project I am doing for the National Executive Committee, I came across some very interesting material which I am sure will be of interest to members of our Vancouver Division. This material in the main is a report prepared by M.J. “Joe” Olson, Reg # 10372, whom many of you old timers will surely remember. Joe was president from 1967 to 1968. My initial interest was kindled when I took possession of our gavel and stand to mount the names of our last two presidents. On that base is the name Major Arthur Edward Snyder, Officer # O.58, Joined With Commission, (JWC), the NWMP in 1885, Charter President, 1913. The next sequential name in 1920 is Lt. Col. Lawrence William Herchmer, former Commissioner, Officer # O.72, Joined With Commission, (JWC) the NWMP in 1887. (Officers often retained their rank equivalent from the military or were given an honourary rank upon retirement). I asked Bob McKee if he was aware where I might find any historic material about our association and God Bless him he recalled reading this old account. Thankfully, he was able to find it again and I am reproducing it for your enlightenment.”
“It would appear that it was in the early spring of 1913 that some old timers met and decided to place and advert in the local newspaper announcing that a meeting would be held for ex-members of the NWMP to get together and discuss the possibility of forming an association and it was on May 19, 1913 that a first meeting was held in the hall of the Anglican All Saints Church on Victoria Drive in Vancouver at the invitation of the minister, the Rev. Cannon, ex-Sergeant Major Henry Charles Lewis Hooper, Reg # 878, who joined the NWMP in 1883. Hopper served at sea in the Merchant Marine, had fought in South Africa, later became an ordained Minister of the Gospel, who was most interested in this proposal of an association composed of Veterans of the NWMP and RNWMP.
About seventy ex-members of the Force attended this meeting and retired Commissioner, Lieutenant Colonel, L.W. Herchmer chaired the meeting with Acting Secretary Percy Sewell Howard, Reg # 4101, taking minutes and Charles Robert Filtness, Reg # 3095, Treasurer. A motion was passed unanimously accordingly and then a committee was struck to study By-Laws and a Constitution which was subsequently adopted and passed.
Elections have been held in November each year, and the new Officers installed at that time and take over. From the beginning Vancouver was known as “A” Division right to 1969/70 when Dominion Headquarters ordered that all Divisions should be called by their geographic names. Our division was from the start recorded and registered un provisions of the Societies Act in Victoria as the R.N.W.M.P Veterans’ Association and annual reports were submitted.
It should be mentioned that in early years a group of old timers in the Calgary area decided to form an association and in 1901 a convention was organized which appeared to be successful in forming an Association. A constitution was drafted and officers elected and an emblem drafted. The South African war erupted at about this time and by 1910 the Calgary Association had all but died away. Shortly after Vancouver started up a new association and a delegation visited Edmonton and Calgary to form associations and as a result new life was breathed into the association and shortly after other cities across the country were organized over the succeeding years. Edmonton was named Dominion Headquarters in about 1924 but Headquarters returned to Vancouver in 1935. Later Calgary was to take on the Headquarters designation and was known as “E” Division, Calgary held that distinction until the mid-1950s when the association opted for Ottawa being better suited by reason of the Seat of Government and central, where it remains.”
“That concludes Joe Olson’s report and for that information we are thankful. It however has been pointed out to me by “K” Division types that there is a discrepancy. I am told that Edmonton formed the very first association in about 1890, some ten years before Calgary, but it appears not to have lasted very long. I now know where I can get some more information about this and it will be passed along when available. In the meantime, we Westerners can take some satisfaction from knowing that our association had its roots in the west. Anyway, someone once said, or if he didn’t say it he should have, “if we don’t know our history how do we know who we now are?
Regards Dave Turnbull”
“A” Division RCMP Veterans’ Association By-Laws – later the Vancouver Division
I located a history of the Edmonton Division of the RCMP Veterans’ Association written by Donald George Fraser, Reg # 15922, in 1991. In it he wrote the following: “The RCMP Veterans’ Association, however, really got its start in Vancouver, BC, prior to the spring of 1913 when several ex-members met and were talking over old times, spinning a few yarns and enjoying each others company.”
He mentions the meeting held on May 19th, 1913 with about seventy members present at All Saints Church… “The members present enthusiastically declared that an association should be formed and a motion to that effect was carried.”
“Elected at the first organizational meeting were:
President: Lt. Col Herchmer – Ex-Commissioner
Vice President: Lt. Col J.H. McIllvee DSO -Ex Assist Comm’r
2 nd Vice President: Major A.E. Snyder – Adjutant
Secretary P.S. Howard
Chaplain: Rev. H.C. Lewis Hooper
Executive Committee:
- desBarnes
S.H. Goodall
- Burgoyne
- Latimer
- Mathewson
- Meaken
His report offers a bit of a discrepancy as to who was the first President of the Vancouver Division. Snyder shows on the President’s gavel box and the history prepared by Dave Turnbull with Herchmer taking on the roll in 1920
The following is a listing of all individuals who served as President for the Vancouver Division of the Veterans’ Association:
1913 President Major Arthur E. Snyder – Officer # O.58
1920 President Lt Col. Lawrence W. Herchmer – Officer # O.78
1921 President John J. Roberts – Reg # 884
1923 President Rev. H.C. Lewis Hooper – Reg # 878
1927 President H.C. Lewis Hooper – Reg # 878
1928 President Charles W. Whitehead – Reg # 1577
1929 President Charles W. Whitehead – Reg # 1577
1930 President Stephen Garnham – Reg # 1246
1931 President Stephen Garnham – Reg # 1246
1932 President Sidney Marshall – Reg # 2438
l933 President Stephen Garnham – Reg # 1246
1934 President Stephen Garnham – Reg # 1246
1935 President Stephen Garnham – Reg # 1246
1936 President Stephen Garnham – Reg # 1246
1937 President R.F.B. Smiley – Reg # not found
1938 President Thomas C. Goldsmith – Reg # 3989/O.222
1939 President Thomas C. Goldsmith – Reg # 3989/O.222
1940 President Thomas C. Goldsmith – Reg # 3989/O.222
1941 President William J. Bowdridge – Reg # 2357
1942 President Charles R. Filtness – Reg # 3095
1943 President Charles R. Filtness – Reg # 3095
1944 President Charles R. Filtness – Reg # 3095
1945 President Llewellyn M. Lloyd-Walters – Reg # 4741
1946 President Edward A. Simmons – Reg # 7741
1947 President Jim Fripps – Reg # 4870/O.246
1948 President Hugh A. Stewart – Reg # 6461
1949 President Jim Fripps – Reg # 4870/O.246
1950 President Jim Fripps – Reg # 4870/O.246
1951 President Jim Fripps – Reg # 4870/O.246
1952 President Theodore B. Hutchings – Reg # 5387/O.280
1953 President Theodore B. Hutchings – Reg # 5387/O.280
l954 President Jim Fripps – Reg # 4870/O.246
1955 President Jim Fripps – Reg # 4870/O.246
1956 President Edward A. Simmons – Reg # 7741
1957 President Edward A. Simmons – Reg # 7741
1958 President Theodore Hutchings -Reg#5387/O.280
1959 President Theodore Hutchings -Reg#5387/O.280
1960 President Edward A. Chamberlain – Reg # 10634
1961 President Edward A. Chamberlain – Reg # 10634
1962 President Edward A. Chamberlain – Reg # 10634
1963 President Edward A. Chamberlain – Reg # 10634
1964 President James T. Lines – Reg # 10841
1965 President James T. Lines – Reg # 10841
1966 President William J. Durnin – Reg # 11269
1967 President Mical J. Olsen – Reg # 10372
1968 President Mical J. Olsen – Reg # 10372
1969 President Johnny Doyle – Reg # 11768
1970 President Roland K. Gervin – Reg # 9909
1971 President Roland K. Gervin – Reg # 9909
1972 President Roland K. Gervin – Reg # 9909
1973 President John W. Duggan – Reg # 14049
1974 President John W.Duggan – Reg # 14049
1975 President H.F. MacNaughton – Reg # not found
1976 President H.F. MacNaughton – Reg # not found
1977 President John Doyle – Reg # 11768
1978 President John Doyle – Reg # 11768
1979 President Roland K. Gervin – Reg # 9909
1980 President Roland K. Gervin – Reg # 9909
1981 President Roland K. Gervin – Reg # 9909
1982 President Roland K. Gervin – Reg # 9909
1983 President John W. Duggan – Reg # 14049
1984 President Frank Brien – Reg # 12846
1985 President Frank Brien – Reg # 12846
1986 President Frank Brien – Reg # 12846
1987 President Frank Brien – Reg # 12846
1988 President John W. Duggan – Reg # 14049
1989 President Paul Starek – Reg # 14796
1990 President Jim Warren – Reg # R1422
1991 President Bill McCheyne – Reg # 15156
1992 President Bill McCheyne – Reg # 15156
1993 President Bill McCheyne – Reg # 15156
1994 President Bill McCheyne – Reg # 15156
1995 President John Hooper – Reg # 176/O.942
1996 President John Hooper – Reg # 176/O.942
1997 President Dave Turnbull – Reg # 18011
1998 President Dave Turnbull – Reg # 18011
1999 President Jim Druchet – Reg # 19556/O.1073
2000 President Jim Druchet – Reg # 19556/O.1073
2001 President Les Holmes – Reg # 19209/O.844
2002 President Les Holmes – Reg # 19209/O.844
2003 President Bill Schindeler – Reg # 17781/O.790
2004 President Bill Schindeler – Reg # 17781/O.790
2005 President Alf Erickson – Reg # 21108
2006 President Alf Erickson – Reg # 21108
2007 President Ed Wilson – Reg # 18942 /O.914
2008 President Ed Wilson – Reg # 18942/O.914
2009 President Bob McKee – Reg # 22026
2010 President Bob McKee – Reg # 22026
2011 President Dick Hawkshaw – Reg # 21132
2013 President Tom Quilley – Reg # 19526/O.1089
2015 President Keith Leishman – Reg # 22222
2017 President Donna Morse – Reg # 31800
Photographs of (left) first President of “A” Division (Vancouver) Lawrence Herchmer (in 1913) and current President – Donna Morse (2017 – 2018)
Prepared by Ric Hall 24394/0.1330
