Posted on Mar 10, 2019
RCMP Veterans' Association / Association des Vétérans de la GRC
1.05K
8
4
4
4
0
https://www.facebook.com/ [login to see] 37733/posts/ [login to see] 742311/
THE LAST DOG-SLED PATROL
YELLOWKNIFE, NT – March 11, 2019 – Fifty-years ago today, on March 11, 1969, the last dog-sled patrol in the history of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police departed Old Crow, Yukon Territory.
The last patrol consisted of two teams with a total of 21 dogs.
One team was led by 40-year old Special Constable Peter Benjamin, Reg. No. S/126, a member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation and a member of the Force since 1955. This would be his 11th patrol.
The other team was led by 23-year old Constable Warren Wray Townsend, Reg. No. 24813, who had 3 years service in the Force.
The patrol would take them on a perilous journey through the Richardson Mountains to Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, then to the Mackenzie Delta community of Arctic Red River (now known as Tsiigehtchic) and then back to Old Crow.
The journey would cover approximately 800 kilometres and take 25 days in total to complete.
The first four days out were miserable with stormy weather conditions. The Members had to lead the dogs on snowshoes to break a trail.
By March 13, 1969, the two Members had covered 51 miles (82 kilometres) through blowing snow and low temperatures.
They rested in the patrol cabin on the Porcupine River all day on March 14, 1969, and then set off the next day towards Fort McPherson.
The two Members arrived in Fort McPherson at about 10 PM on March 22, 1969, having crossed over the magnificent Richardson Mountains and onto the frozen Mackenzie River.
After resting in Fort McPherson they resumed the patrol. The Aklavik portion of their journey had to be dropped due to poor weather.
After reaching Arctic Red River they headed for the Richardson Mountains again for the trip back to Old Crow.
The two Members and their teams covered many exhausting miles in severe low temperatures and high winds that sometimes kept them from going any further. They would set up camp and wait out the terrible weather, and the temperature dropped as low as 41 degrees below zero.
At one point the members were held up in camp by high winds which tore loose their tent at 4 AM. Tired, the two members had to get out of the tent and pitch it again in the blizzard force winds and extreme cold.
At another point the dogs suffered from cuts on their paws from icy trails and one had to be destroyed.
They had to go through overflow water on the ice, and twice they had to set the dogs loose to find their own way down a dangerous precipice, while the two Members slowly lowered the toboggans and gear.
At last, the two tired Members and their teams arrived at Old Crow on April 5, 1969, after 20 days of hard travel on the trail, and were greeted by the Detachment Commander, Corporal John Robert Daniel “Dan” Wheeler, Reg. No. 20133.
With the Force having decided in March 1969 to terminate dog-sled patrols to be replaced by snowmobiles, the era of epic RCMP northern dog-sled patrols was over.
Three months later, on July 31, 1969, Constable Warren Townsend left the Force.
After his return to Old Crow, Special Constable Peter Benjamin stayed in the Force for another seven years. He would travel out to the hunting and trapping camps to make sure the people were well and report back to the Detachment with his findings.
He assisted the Constables in the Detachment going on call outs and acting as liaison with his people.
On August 16, 1976, he retired after 21 years in the Force. Just before he retired, he was awarded the RCMP Long Service Medal. Peter had spent half his life in the Force with many good memories and no regrets.
RCMP Veteran Peter Benjamin passed away on September 24, 1984, in Whitehorse after a long battle with cancer. He was 55 years old.
Peter is buried in Old Crow where he spent his whole life and raised his children. A RCMP headstone marks his grave and represents his long service with the RCMP and his dedication to his people and to Canada.
We will remember Peter Benjamin and all the RCMP Veterans who patrolled the Canadian North by dog-sled.
A commemorative plaque and cairn is erected at RCMP “G” Division Headquarters in Yellowknife, NT. Its inscription reads:
“Erected to commemorate 75 years of faithful service by sled dogs of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.”
THE LAST DOG-SLED PATROL
YELLOWKNIFE, NT – March 11, 2019 – Fifty-years ago today, on March 11, 1969, the last dog-sled patrol in the history of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police departed Old Crow, Yukon Territory.
The last patrol consisted of two teams with a total of 21 dogs.
One team was led by 40-year old Special Constable Peter Benjamin, Reg. No. S/126, a member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation and a member of the Force since 1955. This would be his 11th patrol.
The other team was led by 23-year old Constable Warren Wray Townsend, Reg. No. 24813, who had 3 years service in the Force.
The patrol would take them on a perilous journey through the Richardson Mountains to Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, then to the Mackenzie Delta community of Arctic Red River (now known as Tsiigehtchic) and then back to Old Crow.
The journey would cover approximately 800 kilometres and take 25 days in total to complete.
The first four days out were miserable with stormy weather conditions. The Members had to lead the dogs on snowshoes to break a trail.
By March 13, 1969, the two Members had covered 51 miles (82 kilometres) through blowing snow and low temperatures.
They rested in the patrol cabin on the Porcupine River all day on March 14, 1969, and then set off the next day towards Fort McPherson.
The two Members arrived in Fort McPherson at about 10 PM on March 22, 1969, having crossed over the magnificent Richardson Mountains and onto the frozen Mackenzie River.
After resting in Fort McPherson they resumed the patrol. The Aklavik portion of their journey had to be dropped due to poor weather.
After reaching Arctic Red River they headed for the Richardson Mountains again for the trip back to Old Crow.
The two Members and their teams covered many exhausting miles in severe low temperatures and high winds that sometimes kept them from going any further. They would set up camp and wait out the terrible weather, and the temperature dropped as low as 41 degrees below zero.
At one point the members were held up in camp by high winds which tore loose their tent at 4 AM. Tired, the two members had to get out of the tent and pitch it again in the blizzard force winds and extreme cold.
At another point the dogs suffered from cuts on their paws from icy trails and one had to be destroyed.
They had to go through overflow water on the ice, and twice they had to set the dogs loose to find their own way down a dangerous precipice, while the two Members slowly lowered the toboggans and gear.
At last, the two tired Members and their teams arrived at Old Crow on April 5, 1969, after 20 days of hard travel on the trail, and were greeted by the Detachment Commander, Corporal John Robert Daniel “Dan” Wheeler, Reg. No. 20133.
With the Force having decided in March 1969 to terminate dog-sled patrols to be replaced by snowmobiles, the era of epic RCMP northern dog-sled patrols was over.
Three months later, on July 31, 1969, Constable Warren Townsend left the Force.
After his return to Old Crow, Special Constable Peter Benjamin stayed in the Force for another seven years. He would travel out to the hunting and trapping camps to make sure the people were well and report back to the Detachment with his findings.
He assisted the Constables in the Detachment going on call outs and acting as liaison with his people.
On August 16, 1976, he retired after 21 years in the Force. Just before he retired, he was awarded the RCMP Long Service Medal. Peter had spent half his life in the Force with many good memories and no regrets.
RCMP Veteran Peter Benjamin passed away on September 24, 1984, in Whitehorse after a long battle with cancer. He was 55 years old.
Peter is buried in Old Crow where he spent his whole life and raised his children. A RCMP headstone marks his grave and represents his long service with the RCMP and his dedication to his people and to Canada.
We will remember Peter Benjamin and all the RCMP Veterans who patrolled the Canadian North by dog-sled.
A commemorative plaque and cairn is erected at RCMP “G” Division Headquarters in Yellowknife, NT. Its inscription reads:
“Erected to commemorate 75 years of faithful service by sled dogs of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.”
RCMP Veterans' Association / Association des Vétérans de la GRC
Posted from facebook.com
Canada
Police
Law Enforcement
Dogs
Service Dogs
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 3
3
3
0
1
1
0
Fascinating history. I've read a lot about the Alaskan dog sled runs and races.
(1)
(0)
SCPO (Join to see)
We bred our own sled teams. Part Siberian and part Timber wolf. But not for running races. Lots of winter chores like bringing in water, food, getting mail, and hundreds of other mundane tasks. My uncle would summer the dogs on an island in nearby Waskesiu.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
I arrived at MSG, American Embassy, Ottawa Canada about six months after this event occurred, and I remember hearing about it from our Canadian counterparts and the RCMP/GRC members we got to know. It was a Big Deal up there. This also brings back childhood memories from the '50s of the radio and TV drama, "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon," who with his wonder dog Yuknon King, always got his man.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google