Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Symbol of the Government of Canada

RCMP National Memorial Service

REGINA – Sept. 1, 2009 – Members of the public are invited to attend the RCMP National Memorial Service, which will be held on Sunday, September 13, 2009 at the RCMP Academy, "Depot" Division.

The Service is a tribute to members, special constables and auxiliary constables who have lost their lives in response to an operational policing duty in which there was the element of life-threatening risk. In 2007, the criteria for inclusion on the RCMP Honour Roll was amended to allow for historical additions. This year, two names have been added on the Cenotaph, Honour Roll and Memorial Wall Plaque, bringing the total number of fallen members to 222 since the creation of the North-West Mounted Police in 1873.

Constable George Hamilton Johnston was accidentally shot at Fort Walsh, Northwest Territories, on May 23, 1882.

Constable James Lloyd Lundblad died on May 5, 2009, as a result of a motor vehicle accident while conducting traffic law enforcement near Millet, Alberta.

The Memorial Service begins at 9 a.m. with a parade and service at the Cenotaph—an enduring tradition that started in the mid-1930s, when RCMP members came to Sleigh Square to honour their fallen comrades. It will be followed by a Chapel service and a ceremony at the Memorial Wall.

"Depot" Division will host members from Alberta ("K" Division), British Columbia ("E" Division ), Manitoba ("D" Division) and Saskatchewan ("F" Division), as well as cadets and veterans.

To learn more about the Cenotaph, the Memorial Wall Plaques and the Honour Roll, please visit the RCMP “In the Line of Duty” Memorial Programs web page.

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For more information please contact:

Marie R. Patterson
Communications & Events Management Services
RCMP "Depot" Division
306-780-5707
306-537-1307 (cellular)