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An Album of Images of the RCMP St. Roch
by Kirk Friederich 2016
RCMP Constable John Friederich with sled dog. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
My father, RCMP Constable John Friederich was an officer in the RCMP who served in the Arctic ship RCMP St. Roch as an Assistant Engineer from 1940 to the summer of 1941. RCMP Inspector Henry A. Larsen knew him as "Jimmie". He was born October 30, 1914 in Calgary AB. My father joined the ship in Esquimalt BC where she was undergoing repairs in the naval drydock. He was transferred off the ship at Herschel Island to take an RCMP post at Arctic Red River. He retired in a senior RCMP post as a Staff Sergeant Major. He passed away July 9, 1991 in Vancouver BC. These are some of his photographs from a Friederich family album, most of which have not been seen by the public.
The RCMP St. Roch in the dry dock at HMC Dockyard Esquimalt 1940. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
The RCMP St. Roch later in her life when she became a National Historic Site in Vancouver BC. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
The stern of the RCMP St. Roch while in the drydock in HMC Dockyard Esquimalt. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Larsen was disappointed when he rejoined his ship in Esquimalt in 1940. The navy did not give priority to the work needed because naval work was taking priority. However the ship was modified to make her better suited for Arctic work. A small auxiliary engine to charge the batteries which operated the electric light was installed.
The old iron sheathing around the stem was removed and replaced and attached with heavy bolts. A new knife–edged bow enabled the ship to cut through ice that previously was an obstacle. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
RCMP St. Roch in drydock. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
After repairs and modifications, awaiting departure. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Fitting out prior to departure to the Arctic (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
The RCMP St. Roch in British Columbia waters. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Ship’s wheel (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Crowsnest detail (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
RCMP Inspector Henry A. Larsen was the ship’s Master (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
RCMP Inspector Henry A. Larsen with wharfside onlookers inspecting the RCMP St. Roch (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
RCMP Constable John Friederich while serving in the crew. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Taking a trick at the wheel. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Under sail. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Heavy seas. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
The RCMP St. Roch in her new rig. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
In the ice. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
In the ice (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
In the ice. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Visitors to the ship. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
The crew at work. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Unidentified crew members. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
RCMP Constable John Friederich in 1940. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Dog sled on ice. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
Voter registration card. (Photo from the Friederich collection. )
To quote from this article please cite:
Friederich, Kirk (2016) An Album of Images of the RCMP St. Roch. Nauticapedia.ca 2016. http://nauticapedia.ca/Gallery/St_Roch_images.php
Site News: November 2, 2024
The vessel database has been updated and is now holding 94,538 vessel histories (with 16,140 images and 13,887 records of ship wrecks and marine disasters). The mariner and naval biography database has also been updated and now contains 58,599 entries (with 3989 images). Vessel records are currently being reviewed and updated with more than 35,000 processed so far this year.
Thanks to contributor Mike Rydqvist McCammon for the hundreds of photos he has contributed to illustrate British Columbia's floating heritage.
My very special thanks to our volunteer IT adviser, John Eyre, who (since 2021) has modernized, simplified and improved the update process for the databases into semi–automated processes. His participation has been vital to keeping the Nauticapedia available to our netizens.
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