Reg.#12091 Cst. George Hall, Reg.#19915, Cst. George Ransom & CM Lewis Winichuk

Hello Joe,

I have placed your website on my desktop as I will most likely be a regular supplier of information on a semi-regular basis.

While working in Manitoba I became the Manager of the Shoal Lake Police and Pioneer Museum Inc. (Manitoba's official Mounted Police Museum and I remain the Museum Manager). During that time I started to research local NWMP-RCMP graves and I found a few.

A retired member Steve McBeth, also was working on a similar project and we joined forces. Steve unfortunatly passed away, and is buried in Birtle, Manitoba. I will be sending the information to you in due course, once I dig it up from my archives.

In regards to Cst. George Ransom, I had the opportunity to visit his grave today in Melville. (Photo attached). As the local detachment commander I put a call out in the local paper looking for any force graves, and historic sites so that we can start a local inventory. A local legion veteran Steve Guliak called me up and took me on a quick tour. He also identified the grave of Cst. George Hall # 12091, and Civilian member Lewis C.Winichuk #C1114. I have also attached photos of their grave sites.

I am aware that Cst. Ransom drowned in 1958 on Lake Simcoe, Ontario when their police boat capsized in a storm. 4 other members also drowned with him that tragic day. He was returned to his hometown of Melville, where he presently rests.

Cst. Hall's history is a little foggy, but it sounds like he died of self inflicted wounds. I'll have to research that a little further. He was working at Melville detachment at the time.

Lewis Winichuk was 47 years old, when he passed away. I'll also have to research what happened to him.

I'll keep you posted.

I have also CC'c this to Rhonda Lamb, Force Historical Collections Unit.


Thanks

Ewen D.W. Booth S/Sgt.
Detachment Commander
Melville/Ituna RCMP Detachment
515 Main Street
Box 880
Melville, Saskatchewan
S0A 2P0
1-306-728-1700 (Phone)
1-306-728-1703 (Fax)