Canadian Provost Corps Vignettes By Major (Retired) WP (Bill) Stoker
Paving The Way In The Civil Service!
Bill Stoker once held the appointment as the Director Of Security and Policing with the Ministry Of Transport Of Canada during which time he was re-united with several of his former colleagues in the Canadian Provost Corps; namely: the late Don Tresham, Ted Genest and George Cassidy. Each of those individuals were already well known in the C Pro C for their respective levels of expertise in security and policing within the Canadian Forces; talents they subsequently employed in their daily duties with MOT. In his comments below, Bill Stoker reflects on each of their contributions in their new role as Civil Servants. Don Tresham (left photo) and Ted Genest, two gems that joined me at Transport Canada; Ted, the charmer (in addition to his many attributes), never failed to see that the steno pool etc. gave his Division priority. He also faithfully, when he deemed appropriate, put me back on the right track . Don, whom I first encountered at the School in Borden in 1960, was always a self-starter and go-getter. The pair put together training, ID and electronic/ physical security programs and standards that are, no doubt, still the basics of the systems currently in use at Canada's airports. What could I do, but turn a blind eye, when the two decided use a little office time in invigorating the Provost Corps Association. George Cassidy, I knew briefly in Korea and, I think, later at the School. We were together in Soest and he was invaluable in getting our new organization in Lahr up and running. Another go-getter! Gad, how quickly he savvied the nuances of the Lahr RCAF and turned them to the benefit of our new Army/Air force organization. Around 1974 George joined me at Transport Canada and never looked back. Within a month or so Ontario Region gave him an attractive offer that I could not, in all conscience, oppose. As it turned out his quick grasp of Public Service financial programs and, his energy and innovation made him an outstanding performer. Bill Stoker

One Sharp Looking Provost

Definitely Pat Patterson is my pitch for outstanding uniform. His advantage was to be in that super, winter worsted dress, uniform which has yet to be surpassed. Pat was always a pucker guy. When, in 1952 on passing through Britcom Base Provost Coy in Kure, Japan, I chanced to share a room with him; it was with some amusement that I, subsequently, observed his morning "ritual". Yes: his laundress would arrive laden with fresh and precisely ironed shirts and slacks. While she manoeuvred Pat into his apparel he would scarcely say a thing; emitting only the occasional grunt of agreement and approvoval, Nevertheless, She persevered, because: He was indeed, the best to be seen, of the various officers of his unit. Pat's taciturn nature was later re-emphases when he joined me in Korea as Bud McNeil's replacement. However, as the sole steward and provider of our two member mess I was enabled ,with adequate lubricants, to get some discourse- enough said! Just another vignette! Bill Stoker

Two US Army Deserters (Attach Themselves To No. 13 Provost Company during WWII)

The following War Story was submitted by former member of the Canadian Provost Corps, Major Bill Stoker, who came across the information while readinga book titled - 44, In Combat on The Western Front From Normandy To The Ardennes, By Charles Whiting and published in 1984 by Century publishing Co. Ltd. in Great Britain. The item was extracted from pages 60 - 62 of the above reference and is about two U S Army Privates, Tankey and Slovik and reads as follows: Quote: When dawn came at last, Tankey and Slovik discovered that they were the only replacements left; the rest were either dead, or had gone off in search for their company. The two young greenhorns, however, had no such desires; they had already seen enough of combat. They attached themselves to; of all units, # 13th Canadian Provost Corps Company, a military police outfit which toured the countryside on a roving mission, nailing up notices in French detailing the provisions of Allied Martial Law. That summer Slovik and Tankey had a fine old time, driving up and down the coast of France and Belgium, cooking for the Canadians, trading cigarettes and coffee on the black market in exchange for prize hams, and also; apparently, obtaining willing French girls for the MPs - all with no questions asked by the Canucks and no information volunteered as to precisely how these two Yank infantrymen had come to be attached to the 1st Canadian Army. But all too soon Eddie Slovik's happy time out of war came to an end. Military justice caught up with him and eventually he faced the firing squad in the snows of the Vosges Mountains, claiming to the last breath that he was being done to death for no other reason than because he had stolen a loaf of bread when he was twelve. Slovik learned the hard way that there is no escape from the grim reality of combat. It was to kill or be killed - even for deserters. Unquote. Slovik was, I believe, the only US deserter shot since1865. Sad! Bill Stoker