Throughout his career in the Force (1960 – 1995), Veteran Barry Bradley developed a newspaper scrapbook containing notable news stories about the RCMP in British Columbia.

Each week, we will post two or three of these old newspaper clippings for the interest of Veterans and their families.

For this week’s webpage, Barry selected the article relating to the first member killed at Surrey Detachment – Constable Archille Octave Maixime Lepine (Reg. # 21512). He was the 119th Force member to be killed on duty since the Force was created in 1873.

The sudden and unexpected death of Constable Archie Lepine was a shock to all members. The following are the newspaper articles appeared in the British Columbian newspaper on Monday July 16, 1962.

Span Patrol Officer Injured In Crash

Whalley (Staff) – An RCMP constable was seriously injured when his motorcycle collided with a truck here early Sunday.

In critical condition in Royal Columbian Hospital is Archie Lepine 23.

Lepine was recently assigned to the Pattulo Bridge detachment.

Police said a truck turned left in front of Lepine’s south bound motorcycle on the Trans-Canada Highway, just south of Pattulo Bridge.

Lepine was thrown over the handlebars when his motorcycle smashed into the truck’s right front door, police said.

The accident occurred at 12:15 a.m.  Lepine’ skull and arms were fractured. He also suffered internal injuries, police said.

Police said neither Lepine nor the driver of the truck, Lawrence McInnes, of 1829 Parker, were to blame for the mishap.

Mangled Police Motorcycle was involved in a collision with a truck and burned early Sunday on Peterson Hill. Officer riding motorcycle at time, Const. Archie Lepine, 23, of Pattullo Bridge detachment, is in critical condition with fractured skull, broken arms and leg.

Const. Archie Lepine suffered broken arms, a fractured skull, and a broken leg Sunday when he was thrown from this wrecked motocycle. He is a member of the Pattullo Bridge detachment. His motorcycle hit a truck and burst into flames near Peterson Hill. He is in critical condition in Royal Columbian hospital this morning. (Source of photo – The British Columbian Newspaper)

On July 19, 1962, Constable Archie Lepine passed away.

Surrey Detachment has established a Wall of Honour for all the RCMP members killed on duty while serving the citizens of Surrey.  A photograph of Constable Lepine is included in this Wall of Honour.

Photograph of RCMP Constable Archie Lepine (Source of photo – Surrey RCMP Detachment).