Ernest William Bavin, 1888-1982, was born at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. He joined the Royal North-West Mounted Police (RNWMP) at Regina, Saskatchewan on June 2, 1908. He served at Battleford, Saskatchewan and was discharged in May 1911. He re-engaged in January 1915 and was posted to Regina, then Morinville, Alberta. He was discharged in January 1918 to enlist in the 78th Canadian Field Artillery. He served in France in the 1st Battery Canadian Garrison Artillery. After the war he joined the Alberta Provincial Police (APP) and served at Lethbridge where he became Inspector in charge in 1921. In March 1928 he was transferred to Calgary where he rejoined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 1932 at the dissolution of the APP. He remained in charge at Calgary until 1936 when he transferred to Ottawa, Ontario. In 1939 he became the intelligence officer in charge of the Secret Service. He retired in 1941 and moved to Victoria, British Columbia.