Ranger Mercer's Mission

Frank Mercer

Mr. Frank Mercer now lives in Bay Roberts. His home is filled with pictures, diaries and stories about his life as a lawman. He was a member of the Newfoundland Constabulary, the Rangers, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Many stories have been written about a famous journey he took by dogsled in 1936.

RANGER FRANK MERCER WAS THE FIRST permanent police officer stationed at Nain, Labrador.

In January of 1936, he set out by dogsled to investigate a suspected murder at Okak, 100 miles away, to the north. The body of an eskimo had been found in the cabin of a white trapper. It was believed that he was killed in a dispute over a trapping line.

Ranger Mercer set out for Okak on a komatik, driven by an eskimo sled driver. Many storms slowed them down as they went over the mountains to Okak. They found the body in the cabin. The man had a gash on his forehead. Ranger Mercer needed to have the body examined to be sure it was murder.

The nearest doctor was 600 miles away, to the south, at the Grenfell Mission in Cartwright. Quickly, he and his driver made a wooden box for the body, put the dead man in, and stuffed moss around him. The three of them – two alive and one dead – began the long trip south to the Grenfell Mission.

When they reached the foot of the mountains, they met with many more storms, one after the other. To survive they had to build an igloo, where they waited and waited. One afternoon, the weather cleared and they began going up the mountain. At midnight, they found a pass at 4,000 feet.

Ranger Mercer remembers the scene as if it were only yesterday. The Northern Lights were dancing in the sky, making hissing sounds as they swept across his gaze.