Fred Bagley

Fred Bagley upon enlistment.

The youngest recruit to join the March West, Bagley left the Force 25 years later!

Bagley endured the hardships of the March West finding it a little less romantic than his expectations. I imagined that life in the NWMP would be one grand round of riding wild mustangs (I was always an expert horseman), chasing whisky traders and horse thieves, potting hostile savages, and hobnobbing with haughty Indian Princes and lovely unsophisticated Princesses. Alas!

A few years of service in the Force sufficed to dissipate much of this glamour. Yet, Bagley made the Force his life and gradually worked his way up the ranks to Sergeant–Major.

E Division was Bagley's new family. He travelled east to the Swan River Barracks with Commissioner French, then stayed there for the winter. He was transferred to Fort Saskatchewan then served throughout the west: Battleford, Fort Qu'Appelle, Regina, Banff, Fort Calgary, Fort Macleod and Maple Creek. Upon retirement at 40 years of age, Bagley moved to Calgary where he worked at the Calgary Land Titles office. During the South African War he served as a captain with the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles and as a cavalry instructor with the Strathcona's Horse squadron. Bagley helped to recruit the 82nd Battalion in the First World War, later moving to the 192nd Battalion as second in command.

NWMP Band at Fort Battleford.

In 1924, Bagley retired again, and moved to Banff. There he worked at the Natural History Museum. He is buried in the Banff Cemetery.

Bagley left an incredible musical legacy. He started police and civilian bands in many of the places he served and was especially well known in Calgary as a member, founder or conductor of the NWMP Band, Calgary Firemen's Band, Calgary Elks Band and Calgary Citizens' Band. The NWMP Band prided itself on being able to play both on foot and on horseback!