Who Am I? (By E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC ‘03)
- I was born in 1863 at Yale, British Columbia.
- I was educated in England and the Royal Military College in Kingston.
- I received a commission in the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) in 1884. I served under General Middleton during the Riel Rebellion.
- In 1884, I married Caroline Augusta Jukes, 1859-1938, the daughter of NWMP Senior Surgeon Augustus Jukes. We had two daughters,Phoebe and Constance.
- I was awarded a Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.). in 1901.
- I remained in the NWMP until 1911, and at various times was stationed in Saskatchewan at Maple Creek, Battleford and Regina, and in Alberta at Calgary, Fort Macleod and Athabasca Landing.
- I interrupted my police career to fight in the South African War Boer (1900-1911), during which I commanded “D” Squadron of the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles.
- In 1911, I was appointed a police magistrate in Calgary.
- During the First World War, I commanded the 2nd Canadian Pioneers.
- I was awarded the Order of St. Michael and St. George in 1917.
- I was president of the Ranchmen’s Club in Calgary from 1921 to 1923.
- I resumed the position as police magistrate after the war, until my retirement from the Mounted Police in 1932.
- I served with the Unemployment Relief Commission in 1934.
- I worked with the Veterans’ Assistance Commission 1936-1942.
- I served with the Corps of Commissionaires 1937-1944.
- I was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in 1940.
a) 111 GE Sanders;
b) 114 W Graham;
c) 115 FW White;
d) 116 JW Laidlaw; or
e) 117 KB Cameron
Answer: a) Gilbert Edward Sanders (RMC 1882-1884)
Thomas Thorner and Neil Watson’s article, “Keeper of the King’s Peace : Colonel G.E. Sanders and the Calgary Police Magistrate’s Court, 1911-1932”, in Urban History Review. – vol. 12, no. 3 (February 1984), p. 45-55.
Special note from Ross McKenzie: ” GE Sanders was the cadet that befriended the young Prince George (later George V) when he visited RMC with his aunt -Princess Louise and her husband the GG -the Marquis of Lorne.”