Rene Coulpier

Divisions Served: “K,” “C,” Paris, Lebanon

Pillar Location: This Nameplate has not yet been mounted onto the Pillars, but is on display in the Centre in the interim.

Story: 

In spring of 1959, university not being my thing, I was walking down the street in Victoria, B.C. and made a right turn into the RCMP recruiting office.  In fall October 28, I, along with troop mate Larry Rowat, were sworn into service.  We headed to Regina in Larry’s cool Pontiac.  On our way, we travelled through the USA.

Arriving at Depot we met our troop mates and my first memory was of Ron Jones, barely 5 foot eight with his black zoot zuiter pants with chain.  Also a chap with a Scottish brogue named Krucinski. Great troop mates.

Training to say the least was not easy but that is where you learned that there is no I in TEAM.  Equitation was my least liking and my horse IMP made it more so, when during jumping exercise, he stumbled on a jump and threw me to the wind coming up with broken collarbone.  Allowed to finish training with the rest of the gang and posted to Edmonton.

Posting to Edmonton as rookie was serving summons and telephone duty, Must mention received one monthly cheque with five zeros as paymaster caught up with living in barracks.  Moved on to dream posting, Jasper Park.  Friendly people and main duty was posing for tourists in red serge.  Time in uniform was short-lived as got a requested application to plain clothes.  That ended up being S&I Edmonton.  The rest of my service in “K” Division was chasing supposedly government deemed potential communists.  Transferred to Montreal in 1965 because I had a French name.

Talk about cultural shock: entering the office that first day where very little English was spoken.  More shock when first lunch was at a local tavern that included a gros cinquante (Labbats beer). This posting resulted in meeting my bride who is an Irish lass from NB and was at McGill finishing off her degree for physiotherapy.  Marriage took place in 1967 (Expo 67 year). Work was interesting with the Cold War raging and the separatist movements going on in Quebec.

Having applied for Visa Control we were transferred to Paris in 1969.  To be noted I actually had an uncle and aunt there.  Work was routine in interviewing persons wanting to go to Canada.  Did get a trip to Nigeria (unbelievable poverty, cracked a bottle champagne along famous Champs Elysees on New Year’s Eve.  Most important event, number 1 daughter born (now a retired member of the Force).  Must mention that a visiting Deputy Commissioner wanted to court marshal me.  After bursting into my office while having a meeting with an Immigration officer I introduced him as a senior officer and he was pissed because I didn’t use Deputy Com.

Took up an offer to take over Beirut post so off we went (1972). A whole new world although Beirut was relatively stable. Number 2 daughter born (deceased 2019).  Work included extensive travel to many countries. Travel included along east coast of Africa to Mauritius (home of the Dodo Bird), east to Iran via Saudi Arabia and Cairo (poverty like Nigeria) once a month.  Many experiences but will only mention a couple.  Had to go back to Uganda when Dady Imin was on a rampage. Once in Saudi Arabia had to meekly meet this robed sheik to get an exit visa.  Had gone to airport not realizing I needed an exit visa.  Oh yes, playing golf on a course near the sea, interrupted by an Israel jet chasing a Syrian jet close enough to read the lettering.

Back to Montreal 1995 via short, unwanted stop in Ottawa.  This is where I began to be a real spook.  Chased the KGB but had some success.  Ran a double agent case that resulted in two Russian diplomats being expelled.  Arranged a funeral for Soviet defector and uncovered an ILLEGAL, a soviet spy going to a local university.

In 1984, playing squash with a president of a high tech company, I was offered to manage his security office.  So with 24 years and a day I said goodbye to the Force and joined private industry for the next fifteen years. Retired to Saint John, N.B. my bride’s hometown.  Along with a summer cottage overlooking the Kenebecasis River, winters in Florida, my major doing is keeping a respectable golf handicap.

I would be remiss not to make mention of troop mates that have gone before us and, in particular, my pit partner, good friend, Lloyd COSENS.