Gary Wayne Coulter

Divisions Served: “A,” “J,” “O,” “Depot”

Medals & Honours: LSGC

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

Story: 

Reg No 21140 Gary W. Coulter, The story of G Troop 59/60

It all started in late October 1959 when 32 assorted young men assembled in one of the second-floor dormitories of “B” block.  We were from all provinces except PEI.  Some of them have bought a brick for the Pillars of the Force initiative and are participating in commemorating our troop via their stories.

We were met by a “troop leader,” Cst. Errol Flynn, a very pleasant fellow who helped us settle into barrack life. For those who were pampered by their mothers, there were lessons on how to do laundry and iron shirts.  There were also strict rules about how clothes should be stored in the closet; woe betide anyone who did not observe the rules.  Inspections were held every Friday morning after breakfast and in the event of a transgression the whole troop was punished with extra duties.  This tactic encouraged troop members to cooperate.

We, the Junior Troop for three months, were visited by Senior Troop members who wanted us to buy hoof picks and go to the stables to be measured for saddles.  We weren’t that gullible! They also came to visit after lunch on Saturdays to throw us into the showers.  This continued until another troop became the Junior Troop and the target of the rest of us.  It was regarded as an exercise in developing the troop’s esprit de corps and was less frequent when we became tough enough to take some of the invaders into the showers too.

Our instructors included: Equitation, Cpl. D Jessiman, Sgt. Harry Armstrong, Academic Subjects, Cpl. Glen Skatfeld, Cpl Tommy Foster, Cpl. Davies. Driver Training, Sgt Faircloth, Foot Drill, Cpl Andy Wilvert.

G Troop initiated the Senior Troop Table in the Division Mess and it became a tradition.  The senior troop at the time was E troop and had lost so many members that it was referred to as “The Section and a Half”.

Our Right Marker, Syl Brochez, did a great job of ensuring we performed to a high standard and we worked hard.  We also had fun, and who can forget the late-night burgers and shakes from the Dutch Mill?  We also planned to have a banquet at our Pass Out, but at the last minute it was cancelled without explanation by the CO.  Dick Hawkshaw thinks he and Ed Henderson caused it by being late for a meeting.  Miss Miller the Mess Dietician wondered what she was going to do with several thawed turkeys!  We were ahead of our time as it too is now a tradition.

Three of the troop purchased their discharge but we welcomed Mel Pelletier, senior to us, but who had been injured and “backsquaded.”  We left the Depot with 30 members.  The majority were left in the West and six of us went to “A” Division to help protect the Capitol.  Over time several of us were moved to the Security Service of the RCMP.

My career was varied; my duties in A Division included static posts in various locations to control access to premises and crowd control at public events on federal property.  On 11 Nov 1962 (I think) I was honoured to have been chosen to mount guard at the National War Memorial.  In 1960 the Grey Cup was won by Ottawa and a crowd was surging up Bank St from Lansdowne stadium.  Three constables were detailed to prevent the jubilant crowd from entering the grounds of Parliament.  I had the west gate, which was the first entrance of three.  There were several hundred in the mob and as they come closer to the gate I stepped out and in smart traffic control fashion directed them to turn right and continue.  I didn’t have to speak, and they obeyed.  I was very thankful as I envisioned being buried in a shoe box. I learned the next day that the centre gate fellow did the same thing.

I married Tina Vloet in Dec 1962.

A transfer to the Preventive Service and Drug Squad was very exciting.  In a period of six months I participated in six raids on illicit distilleries in the Ottawa Valley.  These were very serious operations capable of producing up to 300 gallons of alcohol a day.  I think it was cut with water 3-1 so that’s 900 gallons of bottled booze that was sold to thirsty customers in Quebec.  These operations were the work of organised crime families and were very hard to penetrate.  That came to an end in the Fall of 1963 when I was transferred to Saint John, NB. 

I had to precede my family to find accommodation and avoid hotel costs.  I lived in barracks with the single men and we worked from 8:00 AM until the work was done.  There was no overtime, and we did not expect it.  In the winter we were all expected to turn out early (with our own shovels) to clear accumulated snow since we could not rely on public works to do it in time for patrols to be on the road.  About two years later our daughter, Kelly, had developed a respiratory condition that resulted in us being transferred to Fredericton, a warmer, drier climate.  It was certainly more pleasant weather than Saint John.

In 1967 I was transferred to the Security Service in Toronto.  We were happy about the move as it made visiting with both our families easier.  I found the work fascinating and was able to enroll in evening university courses related to the work.

I was active in competitive rifle and pistol shooting my whole career and won the Connaught Cup twice while in Toronto. Unfortunately, my hearing suffered, and I now have hearing aids.  More evidence that two .38 calibre cartridges stuffed in your ears do not help.  An unusual event took place related to my abilities; one night my phone rang at 2:00AM and I was ordered to proceed ASAP to Toronto Airport Parking Garage top level to meet a S/Sgt who would brief me.  A hijacked aircraft had landed in Toronto for fuel.  An attempt would be made to have the hijacker expose himself at the exit door at which time I would attempt to shoot him.  I was handed an issue rifle with iron sights, but the target would be about 3-4 hundred yards distant.  At that point I objected as there was no opportunity to zero the weapon, therefore I could not guarantee where the bullet would strike.  After some discussion, the plane was refueled and allowed to leave.   I learned later that the FBI had taken the culprit into custody in Pittsburgh, PA, where it landed for fuel again. 

Toronto was a very good posting for me, and I progressed through the NCO ranks to S/Sgt and qualified for inclusion on the commission list.  In 1981 a transfer to HQ was ordered.

At this point I was confident about my abilities and was eager to take on new challenges; after all, field experience would trump HQ experience any day, right!  Within a few hours of reporting for duty I realised that I knew very little about how decisions were made and the complexities of inter departmental relations.  Time to shut up and listen!  I was commissioned in 1983 and stayed in HQ to assist with the transition from the Security Service to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.  My duties began in Counter Subversion and I won a promotion to take over Standing Requirements.  It was made up of five separate responsibilities and acted as a secretariate to the Executive.  After a year I recommended it be restructured.  It was and I replaced Chris Scowen, who went to language training, as Deputy Director General CT.  It was a very high-pressure job with the Air India investigation taking priority, but other targets were busy too.  Fortunately, the desk chiefs and staff were top notch.  Jim Warren was the DG and a brilliant man. 

In the fall of 1988, I opted for the first round of retirement incentives; Tina and I moved to a small town in Eastern Ontario.  In 2006 we lost our youngest daughter to a liver illness and took in our two granddaughters, ages 18 and 10.  Tina suffered with COPD and died in 2009. 

I married Sandra Gibson in Kingston in 2016.  We share our collection of children, grand-children and in my case, two great-grand-daughters.  I stay busy with volunteer activities as I am Vice President of the Kingston RCMP Vets, Sec/Treasurer of the Royal Kingston United Services Institute and Chair of the National Wall of Remembrance Association.  Life is good!

In honour of deceased members: 21143 Ron Jones Trenton ON, 21141 Dave Plaunt, Ottawa, 21133 Joe Krusinckas, Kirkland Lake ON, 21147 Darryl Lund, Sackville NB, and 21157 Bob Davies, Port Alberni BC