Peter M Clarke

Divisions Served: “L,” “J,” “C,” “B”

Pillar Location: Pillar VII, Row 23, Column C

Story: 

I joined the RCMP Marine Div. in June 1956.  I trained at N Div. Ottawa, ON in 1957.  Then I went to my first posting in Halifax, NS onboard the RCMP MacBrien, and from there to various boats such as the Fort Walsh, Wood, Interceptor, Acadian, PB Adversus and Fort Steele.  I became a Marine, then onto Reg. No. 24224 in 1968.  I was in charge of the “Adversus” stationed at Yarmouth, NS.  I spent time in the L Div., PEI highway patrol.  From 1970-1974 I was in J Div. NB. and C Div. Expo ’67 for 8 months. 

While in C Div., spent man-hours working patrolling Montreal Harbour, standing guard at different pavilions, especially during the Queen’s visit at Expo ’67 onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.  I performed these duties in Red Serge, with many long hours, and no overtime paid.  Hours then were far from what it is now.

While I worked in PEI, I have to tell you, we had a big problem at the provincial parks.  It was with the 13^th tribe a group of criminals, or commonly referred to as a motorcycle gang, from NS who came to PEI and took up occupancy in Charlottetown National Park and told the locals to leave.  They were drinking, doing drugs, creating violence, etc.  So, Premier Campbell of PEI ordered the RCMP to evict them off the Island. The RCMP attack with sawed-off shotguns removed them from the park to the ferry at Borden, PEI, who then took them to NB.  A few were roughed up, but no RCMP members were seriously injured. 

Another time while at J Div., Master of the PIB Detector 1969 releasing Sgt. Don Lord spent two weeks at Campobello Island policing the residence of the island and Roosevelt International Park.  Many long hours, again, working in Red Serge uniform. 

In 1975 I transferred to B Div. NL, and was stationed at Burin.  From there, I went to the Olympics in ’76 in Montreal, QC. for three months.  Yet again, more time spent in Red Serge Uniform.  Returning from C Div., I spent two years at Burin, NL, and in 1979 the RIB Standoff, which I became Master of, was taken out of service and turned over to the Navy. 

I was transferred to St. John’s detachment as OPS NCO, and from there to training section.  With my Marine certificate, I set up many boat courses and navigated two boats from Labrador to Terra Nova National Park, which were turned over to the provincial government.

Incidentally in 1983 the seal hunt started off the Madeline Islands area in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence River.  The vessel Sea Shepherd with its captain announced he would stop seal hunt by ramming any vessel that would take part in the hunt.  The Sea Shepherd kept disturbing the seal hunt.  So, the government contacted HQ in Ottawa to have the ship’s crew arrested and the ship seized.  So, B Div.’s ER team took action.  Meetings were held and I was to be a part of the team to seize the Sea Shepherd. 

As I held an ocean navigator’s marine certificate, I was to take over command of the Sea Shepherd and take it to the nearest port, that being Georgetown, PEI.  The ship and crew were in my hands.  It was an experience to not be forgotten.  A team of 18 crew members worked so diligently and obeyed my orders, and were courageous heroes in how they displayed themselves that night in such horrible circumstances.  I wrote many letters trying for the Commissioner’s Commendation, but the letters never got to Ottawa.  They said it was all in a day’s work.  Sad.

I unfortunately was a part of the Royal Commission on the Ocean Ranger Marine Disaster on February 15^th 1982.   84 loves were lost.  Myself and S/Sgt. O’Donnell both worked under counsel of Leonard A. Martin of QC, and David B Orsborn.  A lot of travel was involved and many statements were taken from crew members who had previously worked on the drill rig, and concise statements of why such a witness should be called to give evidence.  The Commission counsel would hold procedural hearings to determine if that person had the right to be heard.  We had many other duties as well.  I was additionally responsible for all the exhibits picked up by other vessels: life boats, life rafts, and bodies, to be taken to St. John’s, which was a huge job.  This disaster was also investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, U.S.A.  The Captain of the Ocean Ranger was Clarence Eugune Hauss.  The toolpusher was Kent Thompson. 

I moved on taking a position as Manager of Protective Services Operations at Halifax and St. John for the Bank of Canada, retiring in 1998.