The Arctic Post

When we first got here, we were driving around and I noticed a grave that was placed in a strange place. It’s behind the Naja Isabelle Home, sort of beside the water treatment plant. There is a large gravestone and a little white fence all around. There are no other graves beside it, and it is away from any residential area. I asked Etienne if he knew anything about it. He said that it is actually the wife of an RCMP member from many years back. He said that she was injured and a couple people from town ended up amputating her leg from injuries and she ultimately died from shock.

For christmas this year, Etienne bought me the book “Red Serge Wives”.  I started reading it a short while back. To my surprise the story of the RCMP wife was in the book! It was really neat to read about the entire story. I have included an excerpt from the book…..

“….Perhaps the greatest tragedy of all concerning women of the Force was the death of Maggie Clay. No tribute to R.C.M.P. wives would be complete without her story. It is most succintly recorded in the Annual Report of the Commissioner of the R.C.M.P. for the year ending September 30, 1925.

“At Chesterfield Inlet, the principal event of the year was a most tragic one, the death of Mrs. Clay, wife of Staff-Sergeant S. G. Clay, in consequence of an attack by dogs. The circumstances of this misadventure, which emphasizes the dangers attending life in these inhospitable latitudes, were distressing in every particular. Staff-Sargeant Clay, who was in charge of the detachment, had left on a long patrol to the Thelon River.  On September 19, 1924, Mrs. Clay was moving about the settlement which comprised a mission station, our detachment and a trader’s establishment; people who were at a little distance suddenly noticed that the dogs were worrying something. The beasts were driven off and Mrs. Clay was found, shockingly injured. It is conjectured that one of the dogs, snapping at her in play, drew blood and that thereupon, the whole pack set upon her. The injuries inflicted included such severe lacerations of one leg that the few white men in the settlement – a priest, a non-commissioned officer, a constable of the Force and a trader – had to face the dreadful responsibility of deciding, in the absence of her husband, to amputate. This was done with Mrs. Clay’s full consent but she sank under the shock and died on September 21″

“In April, 1925, a special ceremony was held in the R.C.M.P. chapel, Regina, when the unveiling of a tablet in honour of Mrs. Clay took place in view of one hundred officers and constables of the Regina staff. Wife of Sgt.-Major Fowell, Regina, unveiled the brass tablet which tells how Mrs. Clay met her death. St. Paul’s church choir led the singing and the historic little chapel was beautifully decorated with the flowers. Visitors today to Chesterfield Inlet can see there a three piece black granite monument erected on the grave of Maggie Clay with funds subscribed by members of the Force from coast to coast.

Below is a picture of Maggie from the book.

A picture of Mrs. Clay from the book

Since the snow is finally gone, Etienne and I took a drive to the grave site to take a few pictures. Below is what we were able to take.

There are also 2 graves at Cape Fullerton, which was the original location for the RCMP Detachment in this area. We haven’t had a chance to see them. If you want to see more about these sites, or other RCMP gravesite, you can visit this website.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 8th, 2010 at 19:29 and is filed under Odds and ends. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.