ST. JOHN’S, N.L. —
Two retired RCMP officers from Newfoundland and Labrador acquired affirmation this fall of one thing that they had personally identified for a few years, however for which there was an absence of consensus amongst some within the police pressure.
Actually, you would possibly say Artwork Mercer and Michael Fitzgerald had so much driving on the affirmation — they usually had been, certainly, proper on the cash.
Each are among the many RCMP members depicted within the iconic photograph on the again of the Canadian $50 invoice issued in 1975 that options members of the RCMP Musical Experience in dome formation.
It probably makes them the one ones from this province to look on Canadian foreign money.
In RCMP circles, the query of which yr and which Musical Experience group was pictured on that $50 invoice was by no means settled.
That was till an investigative article by S/Sgt. Michael Duncan (Rtd.) within the fall 2020 version of The Quarterly — {a magazine} revealed by the RCMP Veterans’ Affiliation.
The entrance cowl of the journal options the query: “Who’re these Mounties on the again of the $50 invoice?”
Duncan, who in a 30-year profession within the RCMP frolicked as a monetary crime investigator, mentioned within the article that, “It’s superb what number of serving and retired members approached me claiming to be one of many 32 riders featured on the $50 word.”
“Some weren’t even born when the word was issued in 1975, and others had not but joined the pressure,” he mentioned.
The article factors out that the Financial institution of Canada started releasing the “Scenes of Canada” sequence financial institution notes in 1969 — the Musical Experience being chosen for the 1975 concern.
With the assistance of retired Sgt. Alison Straker, Duncan tracked down data and contacted former members of the Musical Experience to verify the yr and the members within the photograph.
“The basic photograph was taken throughout June 1970, shortly earlier than the Experience departed for Expo ’70 in Osaka Japan,” Duncan wrote.
The photograph was taken by RCMP photographer Sgt. Don Guerrette, who died about 10 years in the past.
Mercer, who now lives in Alberta, mentioned that after studying the article he tracked down Fitzgerald, who lives in St. John’s.
It was the primary time the 2 had related in 53 years.
“When that {photograph} was taken, I feel inside one or two years, possibly three years, there have been a bunch of pictures taken from the identical space utilizing a cherry picker,” Mercer mentioned. “So guys had been debating for about 50 years, , which experience was it, which yr was it. In order that they lastly straightened that away.
“I considered it, as a Newfoundlander, that there are two of us from Newfoundland and Labrador depicted on a chunk of Canadian foreign money … and I feel which may be the primary time ever. I feel that’s vital.”
Fitzgerald mentioned it’s a reduction the difficulty has lastly been settled.
“It’s not one thing I spoke of fairly often to anyone. I solely came upon by means of conversations since this broke about what number of members really claimed to be on that individual word,” Fitzgerald mentioned. “And a few weren’t even born when the word was issued. That threw me a bit.
“There’s a bit little bit of delight within the half that there’s solely two Newfoundlanders, and I don’t know if there’s ever been a Newfoundlander and Labradorian on a Canadian financial institution word. It’s a matter of delight for me, and I feel for Newfoundland and Labrador in a means.”
Fitzgerald mentioned he can keep in mind the photograph being taken as a result of that day stood out.
“That exact incident was distinctive within the time that it took to do it,” he mentioned.
Within the article, Duncan notes that additional affirmation got here from the figuring out marks on sure horses. And members maintain the identical place in the course of the cavalry drills choreographed to music.
Mercer additionally remembers it was an extended photograph shoot that day.
“(Duncan and his staff) had been capable of decide who’s who by first figuring out one individual. They acknowledged a corporal, a senior chief on the experience,” Mercer mentioned. “And so they had been capable of go round within the circle from there. Now, it’s not an actual science as a result of some days a man could also be sick or absent for some cause, and there’s a alternative.”
Within the photograph, Fitzgerald is on a horse named Esquire, and is on the 12 o’clock place along with his face partially obscured by a pennant.
Fitzgerald mentioned Esquire had an identifiable white sock on his proper rear leg. The horse went on to develop into the oldest horse ever owned by the RCMP, residing till age 28, he mentioned.
Fitzgerald was born in Western Bay and later moved to St. John’s. After he joined the RCMP he acquired equine coaching, and was assigned to the Musical Experience in 1969. The Experience travelled to England that yr.
“We did completely different exhibits and toured proper to Scotland, the place we had been enrolled on the Edinburgh tattoo, and it was the primary and solely time that was completed at Edinburgh fortress,” he mentioned.
The next yr they travelled to the World Expo in Osaka, Japan.
Mercer was born and raised in Bay Roberts and joined the RCMP in 1966.
“In coaching we had been in one in every of our lecture courses and one of many workers sergeants got here into the category and requested who want to spend two superb years on the Musical Experience,” Mercer recalled. “I put my title down and type of forgot about it.”
After coaching, Mercer was stationed in Nova Scotia when he acquired a memo from Ottawa saying he was being transferred to Ottawa to do an equitation (horse dealing with) course.
He was assigned to the Musical Experience within the fall of 1968.
“We skilled all winter for the 1969 experience, which began in March, and we went to England and spent 5 months in England driving at county festivals, horse exhibits and navy tattoos,” he mentioned. “We had a beautiful time.”
Mercer mentioned the Musical Experience members escorted Queen Elizabeth II, and the Queen was introduced with a present horse from the Musical Experience.
In accordance the RCMP web site, from its inception in 1873, the North-West Mounted Police (forerunner to the RCMP) relied on expert riders to hold out police duties throughout the Prairies. Members of the pressure competed amongst themselves and carried out tips on horseback. In 1876, a efficiency was held at Fort Macleod, Alta. — believed to be the primary public efficiency.
Fitzgerald mentioned the Musical Experience was an excellent expertise.
“It was an enormous enterprise, lots of exhausting work, however very worthwhile,” he mentioned. “I feel our outfit is an effective illustration of the nation irrespective of the place we go. It’s a logo, I feel. I’ve by no means had a nasty phrase concerning the experience.
“There may be an pleasure to it, the publicity for a teenager, and the expertise is unforgettable.”
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