Men Who Would Be Kings North West Mounted Police.

Growing up I was enthralled by the TV show “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon” and “Northwest Mounted Police”, the Cecil B Demille epic starring Gary Cooper and Madeline Carroll.

In “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon” Preston patrols the wilds of the Yukon with his horse Rex and his faithful dog Yukon King, battling both the elements and criminals. Richard Simmons starred as “Sergeant Preston”, a series of tales set in Canada’s Yukon territory during the days of the great gold rush of the 19th Century. Colorfully red-coated Preston of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, struggled to keep law and order for three seasons in 78 colour episodes on CBS from September 29, 1955, to February 27, 1958. Prior to this it was a radio show that ran from 1940’s until 1954 called “Challenege of the Yukon”. Colour kept the TV series in syndication far beyond that of others filmed in b/w.

The story goes that the Canadian Northwest near a settlement fort, Sgt. Jim Brent (Preston Foster) and Ranger Dusty Rivers (Gary Cooper) vie for the attention of government nurse April Logan (Madeleine Carroll), the sister of Constable Ronnie Logan (Robert Preston). However, the men band together to stop whiskey runner Jacques Corbeau (George Bancroft) from instigating a native uprising by preventing the massacre of a Mounted Ranger unit, whose demise would leave the settlers completely undefended.

The North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) was established in 1873 as a Canadian police force to ensure order in the North-West Territories, addressing lawlessness and military threats by merging military and police functions, with a mobile unit wearing red coats akin to military attire.

The NWMP was created by Prime Minister Sir John Macdonald to ensure peace and reduce crime in the NWT, modeled after a military unit, due to concerns that American traders could incite First Nations and provoke U.S. military intervention and annexation.

In 1874, the NWMP traveled almost 900 miles to Alberta, where they built forts and patrols to enforce Canadian law, facing difficult but gradually improving living conditions on the prairies.

The march West

By 1896, the government aimed to dissolve the NWMP, but the gold discovery in Klondike led to the decision to maintain control over prospectors. The NWMP fought in the Second Boer War and received the Royal title in 1904. Public opposition to disbanding increased as many served in the First World War, and concerns about a Bolshevik threat prompted investigations. Following the Winnipeg General Strike, the NWMP merged with the Dominion Police to form the RCMP in 1920.

Given we are playing Men Who Would Be Kings more regularly I decided that I needed a more regular contingent to play with. I have lots in 20mm plastic, but hardly anything in 28mm that we are using at the moment. I have some Pulp figures that I purchased from North Star a long time ago.

I thought about giving them lancers but decided against it at the last minute. They are often depicted with them, but also with their white ceremonial pith helmets as well. I eventually succumbed and ordered some Empress Miniature’s Zulu War British Lancers from Elite Miniatures Australia. They are on their way as I write!