Presentation to Vets on the Crew of the St. Roch

Reg.#10155, Constable Albert Joseph Chartrand

Honour Roll #104

'A Legend in His Own Time'

Introduction:

Constable Albert Joseph Chartrand was born in 1905 at Ottawa, Ontario. He joined the Force in 1926 and worked as crew on board the St. Roch for fifteen years.

Constable Chartrand died of a heart attack on board the St. Roch at the age of 37 years. He is buried at Pasley Bay, Western Arctic.

Upcoming Presentation for Vets by a Friend of the Force

Guest speaker, Doreen Larsen Riedel is the daughter of Henry Larsen who was Captain of the Mounties’ Arctic schooner 'St. Roch' that 70 years ago this fall, arrived in Halifax Nova Scotia. It had left Vancouver BC in June 1940 and passed by way of the Northwest Passage.

That voyage placed the ship and her crew in the annals of world Maritime history as the first ship to traverse the NWP from West to East . Two years later, Captain Larsen and the St. Roch crew became the first to successfully transit the more northerly deepwater route from East to West. Later the St. Roch became the first ship to circumnavigate North America. 

Even so, the exploits of that ship, which was a floating RCMP detachment, and her crew are largely unknown by most Canadians.

During this 70^th anniversary year, Doreen Riedel will focus on one particular member of the crew of that 1940-42 voyage. The hard life of members of the Force in the Arctic so many years ago can be remembered by some Veterans of the Force, but it should also serve as an inspiration to all of us.

The presentation will be at 7:30PM on February 14, 2012 at the Regular General Meeting in Ottawa.

Ms Riedel's session will have some very sad moments but it will have a surprising and happy ending.

Ms Doreen Riedel will feel at home during her presentation and she will be welcome among all Vets.

'Maintain Our Memories'

J. J. Healy,
Reg.#23685