Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Police Museum (245 Smith Street, Winnipeg)

The Winnipeg Police Museum, established in 1986, displays artifacts related to the history of the Winnipeg Police Force, dating from its beginning in 1874. Formerly located in the Winnipeg Police Academy in the former Allard School, it later moved to the police headquarters in downtown Winnipeg. Plaques at the entrance to the headquarters commemorate police officers who were killed during service in the First World War and Second World War. The Second World War plaque was unveiled by Mayor Garnet Coulter on 8 January 1947 at a ceremony in the lobby of the Rupert Street police headquarters.

An exhibit at the Winnipeg Police Museum

An exhibit at the Winnipeg Police Museum (August 2019)
Source: George Penner

First World War commemorative plaque

First World War commemorative plaque (March 2016)
Source: Darryl Toews

Second World War commemorative plaque

Second World War commemorative plaque (March 2016)
Source: Darryl Toews

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89211, W97.14104
denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War

Name

Occupation

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

William Joseph Alderson
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Law Student

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

21 July 1888

3 June 1915

Walter Crawley
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Elevator Operator

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

14 October 1899

25 October 1916

Frederick Robert Cuffley
[Holy Trinity, Next of Kin]

Police Constable

61st Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

18 June 1887

26 July 1915

Michael Duffy MM DCM
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman

1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Sergeant

10 February 1890

1 October 1918

Henry Clair Gear
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

22 November 1884

29 January 1917

James Jarvie Geddes
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

8 October 1890

8 October 1916

John Gingles
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman (City)

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

2 October 1889

20 November 1916

John Gregson
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Police Constable

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

24 September 1891

14 June 1916

Albert Edward Griffiths
[City Hall]

Constable

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

24 July 1881

3 October 1916

Donald Henderson
[City Hall]

Policeman

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

9 September 1885

1 May 1917

Robert Bruce Holmes
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

27 September 1884

14 June 1916

James Courage Hunter
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lance Corporal

26 February 1886

31 March 1916

Walter Edward Keys
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Saddler and Police Constable

107th Battalion, Canadian Pioneers

Private

2 June 1890

28 February 1918

Archibald MacDonald
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

8 February 1886

11 June 1916

William MacDonald MM
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman

Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), Royal Canadian Armoured Corps

Sergeant

14 February 1893

9 October 1918

Alexander MacLeod
[City Hall]

Policeman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

22 November 1885

15 July 1916

John McCarthy
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Company Sergeant Major

21 September 1888

28 April 1917

William Melville
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Police Constable

King’s Company 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards

Guardsman

15 October 1886

13 March 1915

John Milton
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Police Constable

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

14 June 1890

1 August 1916

Joseph Outerson
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Police Officer

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

12 September 1883

19 November 1916

Arthur Ernest Payne MM
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman

9th Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Sergeant

26 March 1890

5 October 1916

Frederick Henry Pope
[City Hall, Holy Trinity, Next of Kin]

Police Constable

52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Company Sergeant Major

3 July 1888

19 January 1917

James William Rutledge
[City of Winnipeg, Congregational, Masonic, Next of Kin]

Policeman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

21 June 1881

8 October 1916

Alexander Tocher Shand
[City Hall]

Policeman

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

30 April 1889

25 October 1916

James Swanson CdeG
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Policeman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

12 May 1885

8 August 1918

William Wylie Templeton

Policeman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lance Corporal

22 July 1890

3 June 1916

Leslie Byatt Walker
[City Hall, Kinosota, Next of Kin]

Police Constable

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

12 May 1894

14 June 1916

David Watson
[City Hall, Next of Kin]

Police Constable

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

25 December 1889

9 April 1917

John O’Donnell Watson
[City Hall]

Motor Mechanic / Garage Floorman

10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

28 July 1886

22 April 1915

Second World War

Name

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

Lawrence Edgar Eddie

Royal Canadian Air Force

Sergeant

7 September 1916

3 November 1944

Arthur Douglas Hammill

Royal Canadian Air Force

Sergeant

7 February 1917

17 June 1942

John Smith Kidd

The Canadian Provost Corps

Corporal

4 April 1912

1 February 1945

Norman Angus MacKenzie

405 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force

Warrant Officer Class II

17 January 1915

1 September 1942

John Coles Sprott

433 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force

Flying Officer

9 August 1915

17 August 1944

Sources:

For the names of First World War casualities from Manitoba who do not appear on any physical monument in the province, see the Manitoba Historical Society War Memorial. If you know of a name that is omitted from this list, please contact the MHS War Memorial Researcher Darryl Toews (darryl@mhs.mb.ca).

Soldiers of the First World War - Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Veterans Affairs Canada.

Financial support for research reported on this page was provided by the Manitoba Heritage Grants Program (2015-2016).

“Memorial to city policemen in army to be erected in Central Station,” Winnipeg Tribune, 16 December 1916, page 3.

“Police station plaque honors 5 war dead,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 January 1947, page 11.

To Guard My People, Leadthrough.

This page was prepared by Darryl Toews and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 31 August 2020

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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