Since 2001, former RCMP superintendent Joseph “Buffalo Joe” Healy has spent countless hours working on this website that apparently contains the name and regimental number of every Canadian mounted police officer going back to 1873. The website includes thirty thousand photographs and information about RCMP graves in Canada and around the world, and much more.
Mr. Healy started the website, cataloging the final resting places of former RCMP members, as a retirement project after a thirty-six-year career with the RCMP.
If you know of someone who served or have a relative who served in the NWMP, RNWMP or RCMP, the database is easy to use. Simply select the appropriate item in the left-hand margin.
I began with my brother, entered just the last name and found not only his death record, but also his history with the RCMP, including his enlistment date, all his postings and much more information. There was also a photograph of his gravestone. Even though I did have all this information, it was nice to see his RCMP records so carefully recorded. Our surname is not common, so it was easy to find, as it was the only one listed.
I then looked for my husband’s grandfather, surname Jones. I entered his first name and surname. There were only three “Jones” with the initial “A” names listed, which was a surprise. His records from his one-year enlistment with the Northwest Mounted Police were the first name in the list. There was information missing, but I was able to contribute by filling out the contact form to provide the extra information.
If you were unable to find a member, or have found a member and want to search for more information, the list of website links may help with further research.
Mr. Healy’s work earned him the Sovereign’s Medal for Canadian Volunteers from the Governor General in 2016, as well as a Commissioner’s Commendation from the RCMP in 2013.
Last year, Mr. Healy told Canada’s History magazine why he continues to work on the website: “This information, which I input daily — many hours each day — is of immense help to Canadians, archivists, genealogists, family members, troop mates, and members of other police forces around the world who are keen to begin their own databases and to follow this model.”
Good luck with your research!