Highlights of History from The Whitehorse Star

The Whitehorse Pioneer Cemetery

The Whitehorse Star - Thursday, July 11, 1963

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    Clement Desormeaux was jailed for two months when he appeared before Magistrate A. C. L. Adams last week on two theft counts. He took a box of tools and a car belonging to A. J. Nesselbeck of Elsa. Sentence was two months for the car and 14 days for the tools, Offence occurred at the end of last month.

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The Whitehorse Star - Monday, July 15, 1963

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    Clement Desormeaux and 4 RCMP officers died on July 13, 1963, when RCMP Beaver CF-MPO crashed and burned at Carmacks. Click on the image below to go to a full report on the crash.

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The Whitehorse Star - Thursday, July 18, 1963

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    Christ Church Cathedral was filled to standing room only Tuesday when citizens paid tribute to four RCMP officers killed in the ill-fated airplane crash at Carmacks last Saturday.

    The joint memorial service was conducted by Rev. A. L. Privett of the Anglican Church and Rev. H. P. Marston of the United Church. Choirs of the two churches combined for the service.

    Parading in uniform were RCMP members, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force.

    Inspector J. L. Vachon, on behalf of members of the police subdivision, expressed thanks to the hundreds of persons who have either written and personally contacted policemen conveying their condolances.

    Funerals for the officers will be held Outsids Friday and Saturday. All of them are full RCMP funerals.

    Sgt. K. M. Laughland's funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Nanaimo with burial at Cedar, B.C. Cpl. R. W. Asbil's service will be held at Rawdon, Que. either Friday or Saturday. Exact time is unknown. Const. P. L. A. Malcolm's funeral will be at 1:30 p, m. Friday at Lethbridge with burial to follow at the RCMP Mountainview cemetery nearby. Const. W. J. D. Annand's funeral service will be held at 2:30 p. m. Friday at Summerstown, Ont.

    The prisoner on the flight, Joseph Phillipe Clement Desormeaux, was buried Monday in Whitehorse cemetery.

    Meanwhile, RCMP Inspector G. R. Hamelin of Edmonton, officer commanding Western Operations, is in the Yukon making his investigation of the accident. He will remain here fora few more days, police said.

The Whitehorse Star - Monday, July 22, 1963

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Editor
Whitehorse Star

Sir:
    Just one person's opinion -
    Do you and perhaps many more people in Whitehorse not consider the manner in which the prisoner in the fatal accident of July 13 was buried in Whitehorse a positive disgrace. He was killed on July 13 and buried on July 15 without any announcement of any kind. This man had a wife and I presume the same as the RCMP wives had feelings, no fanfare for him.
    But for the Grace of God there go I.
    Who knows but at some time or another this man may have had the opportunity to have done one of two good deeds in his short span of life.
    Temptation at times makes us all weaklings, some fall and others don't.
    May God forgive the ones that buried and hushed this funeral and may He also be able to comfort his unfortunate wife.
    Sincerely, Ruth Challand.

    (Ed Note: Desormeaux's wife was informed of the funeral. She sent flowers and funeral expenses but indicated she did not wish to attend. People generally are buried as they lived and, perhaps unfortunately there appeared few who wished to mourn this man. There was no "hushing" of the affair. Little local interest was shown in the event, apart from persons such as yourself who were stirred by conscience sometime later.