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History Of The Canadian Provost Corps
The Northwest Highway System Provost Detachment (By Lieutenant Colonel J. D. (Jim) Lumsden) |
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| Introduction | ||
In
the early 1960's LCol Jim Lumsden was a young Canadian Provost
Corps Captain attached to The Northwest Highway System (NWHS)
Headquarters, Whitehorse, Yukon Territories where he was the
Officer-in-charge of Provost personnel assigned to police the
Canadian sector of the NWHS. Based on his knowledge and first
hand experience related to this joint Canadian/USA post war
military project, LCol Lumsden alludes to the facts leading up to
the construction of the highway, including the subsequent
policing of the NWHS by members of the Canadian Provost Corps.
The adventure associated with the assigned policing duties in the
great North is reflected in the many stories told by those
former members of the Canadian Provost Corps who were fortunate
enough to have been selected for this rather unique task.
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The System
During World War 2 there was a threat of an assault on
North America at its closest point to Asia and specifically from
the Japanese occupation of several islands in the Aleutian chain.
To defend against such a threat it was deemed necessary to
provide an overland route to Alaska which heretofore relied
primarily upon sea transport up the West Coast from the lower
points on the continent.
The Alcan Highway project was launched by the USA in early
1942 to connect Dawson Creek, British Columbia and Fairbanks,
Alaska through a no man's-land which was in large measure
unmapped and only minimally previously explored. In the Canadian
sector the American Army built a series of gravel roads through
British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. Rapidity of
construction was of the essence, thus, the route tended to follow
the "line of least resistance" over some formidable
country . The general route of the highway was along a line of
existing airfields from Edmonton to Fairbanks, but on the ground,
the road followed existing winter roads, old Indian trails and
rivers. Sometimes routing of the road relied on "sight
engineering."The major road in the system was the "Alaska
Highway" that wound from Dawson Creek (mile 0). to the
Yukon/Alaska (Beaver Creek YT) border, a distance of 1221 miles.
In addition, there was the Haines Road (Haines Junction Mile
1016), an overland connection to the seaport at Haines, Alaska,
and several airport access roads in northern B.C and the Yukon
that formed the overall System.
In April 1946 the Canadian Army assumed responsibility for
the operation and maintenance of this road network. That duty
continued as a task of the Department of National Defence until
31 March 1964 when responsibility for the road system was
transferred to the federal Department of Public Works. It has
subsequently been taken over by the British Columbia and Yukon
Department of Highways and Public Works.The Organization and Geography
A military formation, the North West Highway System
(NWHS) , with its Headquarters in Whitehorse Yukon Territory,
was developed for this purpose. NWHS functioned with the status
of an Area Headquarters from 1 April 1946 to 31 March 1964. The
Commander NWHS reported to the General Officer Commanding Western
Command.
The primary Unit of NWHS was the Highway Maintenance
Establishment (HME), Royal Canadian Engineers. Its headquarters
was in Whitehorse and HME Maintenance Camps were located every 45
to 50 miles throughout the 1221 miles of the highway. These were
generally named and identified with the nearest geographic
feature, such as Teslin (Mile 804), after adjacent Teslin Lake.
Others christened through the imagination of the personnel
assigned names such as Wonowon located at Mile 101 (and
officially known as Blueberry). HME not only had the task of
maintaining the road system but of upgrading and correcting some
of the major hazards. They were also tasked to replace the many
hastily constructed primitive bridges speedily installed as
dictated by the need for expeditious completion of the Highway.
These replacement bridges were constructed as modern steel and
concrete structures and stand as a monument to the high calibre
and dedication of the members of HME. All of this upgrading was
carried out by the Canadian Army.The Canadian Provost Corps Detachment
The formation included a detachment of the Canadian Provost
Corps which grew from its original six NCOs ( Sgt T.O. Foster,
L/Cpls R. Oliver, J.R. (Jim) McConnery, M.G. Decker C.V.(Vic)
Auburn, and W.J. (Bill) Van Horne) in Whitehorse to 1 Officer
and 23 NCOs at three locations. In the initial instance highway
patrol operations were based out of Whitehorse until 1954 at
which time a Section was opened at the Dawson Creek (Mile 0)
Railhead. In 1959 the level of activity dictated a further
Provost Section be located at Fort Nelson (Muskwa Garrison at
mile 295).
The Corps Detachment was a sub-unit of Western Command
Provost Company, attached for all purposes except discipline and
duty, to Headquarters NWHS. The first members of the Corps to
serve on the Highway arrived in mid-summer 1946. The last member
of the Corps (Captain Jim Lumsden, then serving as Staff
Captain"Q"NWHS) departed in early August 1964.The Military Policeman's Duties on NWHS
The assigned Military Policemen, in addition to patrolling
this vast road network, performed the normal Provost tasks of
policing static military garrisons. The major difference was of
course that the "Garrison" included strips of land (highways)
which formed a Defence Establishment approximately 1/4 mile wide
and 1472 miles in length; in addition to what we recognise as the
three conventional military garrisons ( Camp Takhini, Muskwa
Garrison and Dawson Creek Railhead ) mentioned above.
This was a time when extensive oil, gas and other natural
resource exploration was being undertaken in Northern Canada.
These ventures entailed the movement of large and bulky loads
weighing up to 100,000 pounds and measuring from 12 to 20 feet in
width. Such traffic, if uncontrolled, would quickly damage the
roadbed and the many bridges in the system. The task thus called
for extensive road patrols that required the MPs to work a
"Shift" which lasted several days instead of the conventional
eight hours. During these periods the environmental conditions
could invariably be relied upon to be adverse. The varying
seasons brought dust, heavy snow or ice, and extreme heat or
temperatures of 25 to 40 below.
There were, in addition to the commercial traffic with
truck operators who had tight delivery schedules to meet, the
recreational travellers who were primarily tourists intent upon
enjoying their holiday into the "Land of the Midnight Sun". Their
aims and vacation schedules were often disrupted by road
washouts, which might last for days or normal road and bridge
maintenance. The result was a frustrated public. In such
circumstances their first contact with authority was a Military
Policeman. The task demanded that members of the Corps assigned
to these duties be mature, reliable, tactful, resourceful and
patient. All of these are qualities present in most Military
Police persons, but the NWHS role in dealing with a public who
knew little, and cared less about things military, required the
presence of these attributes in higher than average measure.
The most significant period of the year for vehicle load
weights was of course the spring as the oil rigs were trying to
escape from the bush to avoid the risk of their rigs sinking out
of sight in the muskeg at a later time. These grossly overweight
overloads were capable of inflicting road damage that could halt
traffic for lengthy periods as repairs were carried out. There
were only two static weigh stations (Charlie Lake [Mile 49 and
Fort Nelson [Mile 300}). The scarcity and positioning of these
facilities required that weight checks be carried out with the
twin portable weigh scales in their red boxes that were carried
in the patrol vehicles. The best that could be hoped for with
such equipment was to do "spot checks" of vehicle loads in the
hope of a modicum of deterrence. It would not be prudent to
speculate on its success or otherwise.
Beyond the man made causes of roadbed damage the forces of
nature had a significant effect on the need for control on the
highway. This was particularly so during late spring and early
summer when washouts were a frequent occurrence which might close
sections of he road for days. This road net had no options for
detours dictating that the flow of traffic had to be stopped at a
location where food and lodging could be obtained. Thus, control
points had to be established up to a hundred miles from the site
of the washout. This once again placed a further strain on a
patrolman's tact and patience in dealing with tourists in
particular. These travelers were anxious to continue their long
envisaged and carefully planned vacation in the North. They were
unfortunately unable to envisage the damage that a mountain-run
off can do to the road as well as the hindrance it poses to the
repair efforts.
Control of this traffic was being carried out at a time
long before modern day traffic radar and photo radar. A speed
check commenced by driving two stakes, generally 220 yards apart,
and then stringing out field telephones between them so that the
MPs at the stake could communicate with each other while clocking
the elapsed time and then determining the actual speed by
consulting a speed chart. Then the task of apprehending offender
had to be addressed. A heavy human resource requirement task.
Some difference from today's aim and point hand held radar.
There were no radios in the panel trucks assigned for
highway patrols. The patrol was issued with "railway field
phones" and a telescopic pole for connecting the phones wires to
designated lines of the Canadian National Telecommunication
"telephone poles" which were strung out along the highway.
Routine communication was confined to fixed block times each day.
For instance the Provost Detachment's HQ fixed time to
communicate with the Garrisons or a patrol was 1300 -1315 hours
daily.
The tools available to do the job might today well seem to
be bordering on the primitive as well as being limited in their
availability. Just to make life more enjoyable all this had to be
put together while at the same time protecting ones self by
swatting mosquitoes and the hordes of other insects that seem to
love the North Country.
It is not unusual for Provost Detachments to have been
assigned the task of animal control. In most instances this
related to the control and licensing of domestic pets. On the
NWHS its primary emphasis was on the control of range horses that
were attracted to the sources of food found on a military
garrison. These horses were for the most part owned by
"Outfitters" who utilised them on treks (for profit) through the
northern wilderness in mid-summer and then turned them loose
around Takhini and Fort Nelson to live off the land for the
remainder of the year. It was not unusual to find the horses
wandering about PMQ and school areas. To assist in this horse
wrangling task it was necessary to qualify on the lariat to
undertake this diversion from normal Provost duties offered in
the North. Unfortunately, a photo is not available but the most
vivid memory of this is S/Sgt "Boom" Cannon and Sgt. Dave
"Tiny" Burnett out on a "Round Up" as full fledged horse
wranglers. .
Escorting the paymaster is again a task that was assigned
to most Provost Detachments. In the North there was a difference
which found the paymaster seeking out personnel to pay throughout
the length of the road network at the many Highway Maintenance
Camps, major work sites and individual persons working on such
machinery as road graders or ploughs, wherever they might be
encountered. This "Pay Parade" was not the two-hour twice monthly
event most soldiers are familiar with, but required a 5 to 8 day
trip for the paymaster and the Provost escort paying people as
they were encountered. A lengthy but profitable task as it
allowed the military policeman to meet those who operated and
maintained the Highway in a friendly and informal setting. The
dividends in co-operation and understanding on other Provost
duties were immeasurable. Click here to view attached photo.
In addition to the domestic tasks the Detachment regularly
provided Military Police support for Canadian Army components
participating in joint exercises in Alaska. It also was assigned
the traffic control task and control of supply points on the
Highway in the event of a need arising to evacuate dependents
from Alaska and Yukon.The Patrolman's Perks
In spite of the lengthy duration of patrols, the less than
compact vehicles and equipment and the alternating dust and cold
seasons there were perks such as being able to pull to the side
of a lake and dip a fishing rod for an hour or so before
continuing the patrol. In addition, there was the friendship of
the residents along the way. One such couple was Jim and Betty
Grant at Muncho Lake. They operated Highland Glen Lodge, a
tourist and fishing camp at Mile 450. It was one of the best
places to overnight on the NWHS. The South / North based patrol
out of Mile 0 or 295 and the North /South patrol out of Mile 918
regularly met there. The hospitality was great and the scenery
out of this world. (Jim presented my wife with a black bear hide
on our final trip down the Highway in August 1964 as a memento of
our tour.) Most Corps members who served on the Highway will
fondly remember enjoying the Grant's hospitality as part of what
made this remote posting more enjoyable.
One also had to be practical as living costs were very high
relative to what is referred to by northern residents as the
"Outside". Bob Stevens, in company with; Robbie
Robertson, recently, (September 2001) revisited their old
haunts while serving on the Highway. Bob's report, entitled
Northern Odyssey and circulated earlier, recalls patrols to
Dawson Creek from Fort Nelson when "the Provost panel was used to
transport, on our return trip to Fort Nelson, groceries and any
number of items we purchased at local wholesalers. It certainly
helped stretch our pay which, even with northern allowances, was
not that high."
A similar practical side of Whitehorse to Fort Nelson
patrols was known to occur. The difference was in the target of
their shopping in the South. In this setting it was agreed that
while the cost of "vittles" was very high, the costs of a
"two-four" or a "40 pounder" in the Yukon were outrageous. In
British Columbia the price of such items was standard, and
notably lower, throughout the Province, thus, one paid the same
price for such items in Fort Nelson as you would in
Vancouver.The Peace River Bridge Detour
The most significant incident affecting the flow of traffic
on the System occurred in late 1957 when the Peace River Bridge
collapsed. ( Click to view
attached photo). It was immediately apparent that this was to
be a long term disruption. The first response was the use of a
ferry. Control of this was effected by a section of infantry from
2 PPCLI under the direction of two Provost NCOs. (In early 1958
the infantry section was replaced with members of the C Pro C.)
The ferry was replaced in December 57 with an existing trestle on
the Pacific Great Eastern Railway (PGER) [now the British
Columbia Railway (BCR)] trestle. Reaching this river crossing
site from the Highway required travelling a nine mile detour,
including an RCE Bailey Bridge over the Pine River. This approach
road had of necessity been hastily constructed, and was fraught
with many hazards in itself. The trestle was 100 feet above the
River and 3330 feet in length. It had been modified with a deck
that had a width of 11 feet 3 inches and a protective railing 4
feet 6 inches in height. The defile was a formidable sight for
the unsuspecting motorist, however, while a few declined the
thrill, most, buoyed by the quiet confident assurances of the
Military Policeman who controlled the operation, undertook the
crossing. The attached photo of the replacement Peace River
Railroad Bridge (Trestle), Click here to view, will give you an idea of the
immediate daunting impression of the defile.
In April 1958 the stress of the task was compounded when
the PGER commenced its rail service to Fort St John B.C., thus,
the traffic control problem became more complex as the MPs
controlling the span now had to concern themselves with
unscheduled rail traffic as well as the vehicles crossing the
River. An example of this can be seen on the occasion that L
Cpl John Collins was assisting a timid driver, who was a bit
overwhelmed by the drive across when the vehicle concerned and
train met on the bridge. John got out and after some conversation
with the engineer of the PGER train all agreed that it would be
easier for the train to back up. This one incident is testimony
to the negotiating skills and courteous approach of the Military
Policemen assigned to this task. In spite of the many hazards and
the adverse environment members of the Canadian Provost Corps
operated this defile without major mishap until the new Peace
River Bridge was completed in 1960.The Yukon Approach
One of the striking features on the NWHS was the low
frequency of crime. Life in the North required both a lonely
existence for some and a good deal of travel. The Yukon Order of
Pioneers adopted the Golden Rule as their motto. "Do onto
others as you would be done to". The acceptance of this creed
and the mutual trust of each other by the great majority became
quickly apparent to the members of the Provost Corps assigned to
the NWHS. It is probably best exemplified in the story of the MP
who was seeking out members of the Canadian Rangers, a reserve
component of the Canadian Army. In response to an invitation to
"Come on in" the MP found the door not only unlocked but also not
even on hinges. The occupant explained that his doors were not
meant to keep people out but rather they were handy to break the
strong winter winds. He had never been the victim of a theft and
firmly believed in the Pioneers creed. (A lesson we might all do
well to revisit in this day as we isolate our self with physical
and high technology barriers to ensure our security).The Order Changes
On 1 April 1964 the operation and maintenance of the NWHS
was handed over from the Canadian Army to the Department of
Public Works Canada. The performance of Provost duties on the
NWHS had many rewards, however, one of the best is the respect of
the persons served. Such respect is summed up in an editorial in
the Fort Nelson News at the time of the decision to
replace the military with a civilian organization:
" We will miss
from the scene the Provost Corps that have so long rendered a
service to all residents and tourists. Hell! They may have nicked
you now and again and in doing so only made it safer for the rest
of the pilgrims heading up or down the track".
That praise was well earned by every member of the Corps who served on
the "Highway" .
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Addendum To This Historic Article ( On The construction Of The Temporary Bridge ) By Mike Mulvihill |
Former member of the Canadian Provost Corps, retired WO Mike Mulvihill of Pembroke,
ON advises that his late father, along with three of his brothers and a brother-in-law, all worked on the building
of the Alaskan Highway (NWHS). Mike states that the first bridge was destroyed by ice jams caused by a
Chinook weather condition and that is father had helped to build the approaches to this bridge site.
Mike submitted some photos that were take during that era that he had acquired from his family album, explaining,
that in one photo an American soldier can be seen guarding the Bridge and in another photo what appears
to be a steam engine on the tracks over the bridge is actually a mobile pile driver. Both the pile driver and
a couple of excavation mechanical shovels used on the project were all operated by steam.
One of the photos that Mike forwarded depicts a Canadian and an American Military Policeman conducting a
disciplinary foot patrol of the town of Fort Nelson, BC. The photos can be viewed by clicking on the link below.
Photos of the NWHS submitted by Mike Mulvihill. |
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