RSM Ernest (Ernie) McNamara was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1905, emigrating to Canada with his family around 1915.
They settled on a farm in Alberta until he became of age and joined the Canadian Army in the early thirties, initially
serving with the Royal Canadian Regiment and transferring to the Canadian Provost Corps during WWII while serving in
Tillburg, Holland.
During the war, as an infantry NCO, RSM McNamara assisted in securing a Nazi Internment Camp in Holland, an
experience that he would have rather had done without. It was a subject that he seldom, if ever, talked about.
Following WWII, RSM McNamara returned to the RCR and as a WO2 he was posted to the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police Depot Division in Regina, Saskatchewan where he instructed RCMP recruits in the art of self-defence and general
physical fitness training, a job very fitting for the infantry PT Instructor who had perfected those skills while so engaged in
that field of deployment. It was only through a personal written request from Colonel JR Stewart, Provost Marshal
Army, dated 14 June 1946, that led to him returning to the C Pro C in the rank of WO2 following completion of his tour of
duty at RCMP Depot Division. (Note: Upon re-transferring to the C Pro C while at the RCMP Depot Div his position
was thereafter manned by a member of the Canadian Provost Corps.)
RSM McNamara retired out of Currie Barracks, Calgary in 1954 where he served as the WO1 (RSM) of No.10 Service
Detention Barracks, following 33 years of service. He passed away to that Big DB In The Sky on the 19 August
1968.
The foregoing information about RSM McNamara and supporting data was provided by his proud Grandson, Mr.
Timothy (Tim) Ernest McNamara, a retired Sheriff.
|