Charles Rivett-Carnac
Encyclopedia
Charles Edward Rivett-Carnac (August 31, 1901 – July 18, 1980) was a Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
.
, Sussex
, England
and soon after his birth, was taken by his father to Assam
in India. He lived there until he returned to England at the age of six and spent his early childhood living with an aunt and uncle. He attended St Cyprian's School
and when he was 14 went on to Eastbourne College
as a boarder. A year later he was moved again to live with a different aunt in London, where he went to a local grammar school. Rivett-Carnac did not enjoy school, and during World War I
loaned money off a friend to learn to drive so that he could join the British Red Cross
as an ambulance driver. At the age of 16, he joined the French Ambulance Corps and served on the front line.
in India. Here Rivett-Carnac was in charge of the Assam Sawmills and Timber Company forest operations for the Tezpur
area of India. Working in the elephant camps of the jungle took its toll on Rivett-Carnac, and he began to suffer from malaria
. He soon left the jungle and worked as an assistant manager for the Bisra Stone Lime Company. A few months later, due to his poor health he was sent to work at the head office in Calcutta where medical facilities were more readily available.
with only thirty-five dollars in his pocket and joined the "Mounties"
on July 25. He spent many years working in the North of Canada, and he steadily rose through the ranks to become the 11th Commissioner of the force, a post he held from April 1, 1959 to March 31, 1960. In 1945 while Rivett-Carnac was in charge of Intelligence at headquarters, he was heavily involved in the famous Igor Gouzenko
case.
Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Commissioner is the highest rank of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police , and of its predecessor agencies, the North-West Mounted Police and the Royal Northwest Mounted Police . The Commissioner reports directly to the Minister of Public Safety.The Commissioner of RCMP is the Principal Commander of...
.
Early life
Rivett-Carnac, was born in EastbourneEastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and soon after his birth, was taken by his father to Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
in India. He lived there until he returned to England at the age of six and spent his early childhood living with an aunt and uncle. He attended St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School was an English preparatory school for boys, which operated in the early 20th century in Eastbourne, East Sussex. Like other preparatory schools, its purpose was to train pupils to do well enough in the examinations to gain admission to leading public schools, and to provide an...
and when he was 14 went on to Eastbourne College
Eastbourne College
Eastbourne College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils aged 13–18, situated on the south coast of England, included in the Tatler list of top public schools. The College's current headmaster is Simon Davies. The College was founded by the Duke of Devonshire...
as a boarder. A year later he was moved again to live with a different aunt in London, where he went to a local grammar school. Rivett-Carnac did not enjoy school, and during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
loaned money off a friend to learn to drive so that he could join the British Red Cross
British Red Cross
The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom branch of the worldwide impartial humanitarian organisation the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with over 31,000 volunteers and 2,600 staff. At the heart of their work...
as an ambulance driver. At the age of 16, he joined the French Ambulance Corps and served on the front line.
India
After the war, he joined his father, who was Deputy Inspector General of the Indian Imperial PoliceIndian Police Service
The Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...
in India. Here Rivett-Carnac was in charge of the Assam Sawmills and Timber Company forest operations for the Tezpur
Tezpur
Tezpur is a city and the administrative headquarters and municipal board of Sonitpur district in the state of Assam in northeastern India. Tezpur is an ancient city on the banks of the river Brahmaputra and is the largest of the north bank towns with a population exceeding 100,000...
area of India. Working in the elephant camps of the jungle took its toll on Rivett-Carnac, and he began to suffer from malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
. He soon left the jungle and worked as an assistant manager for the Bisra Stone Lime Company. A few months later, due to his poor health he was sent to work at the head office in Calcutta where medical facilities were more readily available.
Canada
In 1923 he emigrated to CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with only thirty-five dollars in his pocket and joined the "Mounties"
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
on July 25. He spent many years working in the North of Canada, and he steadily rose through the ranks to become the 11th Commissioner of the force, a post he held from April 1, 1959 to March 31, 1960. In 1945 while Rivett-Carnac was in charge of Intelligence at headquarters, he was heavily involved in the famous Igor Gouzenko
Igor Gouzenko
Igor Sergeyevich Gouzenko was a cipher clerk for the Soviet Embassy to Canada in Ottawa, Ontario. He defected on September 5, 1945, with 109 documents on Soviet espionage activities in the West...
case.