Bob and Yvonne Cocks

Pillar Location: Section 8

I was born 12 miles north of the American border. My hometown was Gainsborough, Saskatchewan, located 2 ½ miles from Manitoba. My father had a hardware store. The parents of two friends of mine had a farm south of town just north of the North Dakota border. It was commonly known that the NWMP had camped along the creek that ran through their property on the March West. As teenagers we walked along the banks of this creek many times when hunting. I never thought about it until later years, but I have walked on ground that could have been exactly where French, Macleod, Steele, Walsh and the other “Originals” touched foot. The significance of this extraordinary event – the March West – was close to home!

I retired in 1998 as a Civil Engineer with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Transportation. Wanting to keep active, I volunteered on the March West Re-enactment. The three years that I participated led to a whole new direction in my life. I met many RCMP Members along the route as well as many Veterans during this time. I joined the Friends of the RCMP Heritage Centre (then the RCMP Museum), became a member of the Board of Directors, and was invited to become a member of the Regina RCMP Veterans’ Association as an Associate Member. My wife, Yvonne was born in Hamilton, Victoria, Australia and came to Canada in 1969 as a nurse and midwife after working six months in Scotland. We were married in Australia in December 1971. Yvonne was invited to join the Regina Ladies Auxiliary to the RCMP Veterans’ Association. She greatly appreciated the kindness shown by these wonderful ladies during the course of several years but withdrew because of ill health. The Ladies Auxiliary still keep in contact.

When relatives or friends are visiting from Australia, we are very proud to make the RCMP Heritage Centre one of the first places to visit. Our guests get a glimpse of both the history and the present day through exhibits and tours.

Our connection with the RCMP through Friends and the Regina Veterans’ Association opened a whole new world for us. We are thankful to be allowed to be part of this RCMP community. There isn’t a finer group of people. We have made many life-long friends. We are proud to be able to show our support for the “Pillars Project” and the Force in general by having our names on a brick on the Princess Royal Walk.

Medals and Honours: 1) Commissioner’s Certificate of Appreciation and 2) The Sovereign Medal for Volunteers 2018

Pillar Location: Section 8

Home Town: Gainsborough, SK