Two City Policemen Missing on Slough
Two off-duty Vancouver members went out for a day of fishing, but were tragically caught in a violent storm. Both men presumed drowned, Sergeant Murray’s body was never found.
Sergeant Fenwick Murray and Constable Bill Eades Feared Drowned
The following information is taken from both the Vancouver Police and RCMP incident reports.
Bill and Fen headed out fishing for sturgeon on the morning of February 21, 1961. Both were experienced outdoorsmen. Bill met Fen at Boundary and Hastings, parked his car, then joined Fen in his car, which had a trailered boat attached.
At 9:30 a.m., the two men arrived at McKamey’s wharf in Dewdney.
McKamey’s wife saw the men arrive and went to speak with them. They asked permission to park and leave their trailer, but were advised against going onto the river due to the strong current increased by recent rains. The men left.
Sometime before 11:30 a.m., when McKamey’s wife looked out again, she noticed the men had returned but had launched their 12-foot boat onto the Fraser River. Around 3:00 p.m., a storm blew through the area.
At approximately 8:45 p.m., Mr. Granville McKamey contacted the RCMP by phone. He advised that the men had not returned, and being concerned, he started to search the river in the area of the Dewdney slough. He searched for 1.5 hours, patrolling both banks for some distance in the area. McKamey further stated that he operated the tug boat for the Stave Lake Cedar Company at Dewdney, and conditions on the slough that day caused him to tie up his own tug at noon.
McKamey cut his search short as the river conditions were dangerous, and advised against further searching until the river calmed.
The next day, Vancouver Police contacted the Mission Detachment, advising that two Vancouver officers were missing following a fishing trip. It was established that the missing men on the river were those reported by the Vancouver City Police.
Staff Sergeant Wallace (Chilliwack Sub Division Patrol NCO) was at the Mission Detachment at this time, and was made aware of the facts. He directed the organization of a search party consisting of Department of Fisheries, BC Forest Service, Stave Lake Cedar Company Ltd. tug and RCMP MP 95, which patrolled the river, searching islands and riverbanks enroute. The Air Sea Rescue had two aircraft and a helicopter participating in the search.
Three members of the Vancouver Police attended and were taken aboard the tug. A short time later, the boat was found by the aircraft, upside down, almost completely submerged, and apparently anchored.
Efforts to lift the anchor failed, necessitating the tug to tow, causing the anchor line to snap. Upon arrival at the landing, the boat was righted, and determined that the anchor line had been tied to the steering column, with the motor still attached. The motor was in a lifted position in forward gear, with the throttle open. The carburetor was checked and found empty. The fuel tank was missing, along with the connecting hoses, which were ripped four feet from the motor. It was identified as Fenwick Murray’s boat.
Dragging of the river commenced continuing until nightfall. Other vessels joined the search throughout the day, with no result. Over the next few days, the RCMP aircraft patrolled the river from Vancouver out to the search area, combing the riverbanks and islands. All fisheries vessels and local tugs were requested to be on the lookout whilst on the river.
There was very little doubt but that these men met their death by drowning.
On April 4, 1961, Bill’s body was located in the Fraser River. Cause of Death: drowning.
Fen’s body was never recovered; there is no death certificate.
May they rest in peace.
Constable William Eades’s Funeral
