Red Serge and Polar Bear Pants: The Biography of Harry Stallworthy, RCMP

by William Barr

Harry Stallworthy spent 20 years in the Canadian North with the RCMP. While stationed at Bache Peninsula, Stallworthy led one of the longest arctic sledge patrols in the history of the Force, searching for traces of German geologist Dr. Hans Krüger. In 1934 he set off with the Oxford University Ellesmere Land Expedition. He was present at the historic meeting of Roosevelt and Churchill in Quebec in 1944 and in the late 1950s was in charge of security for the eastern half of the DEW Line. From policing and prospecting in the Yukon to coordinating aerial surveillance patrols against rum-runners in the Gaspé, the story of Stallworthy's life was rarely uneventful. It captures the excitement, adventure, and mystery of the North.

400 pages, Paperback

First published December 19, 2000

Reviews

[Jennifer Gyuricska · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times, this book read more like a police report than a story of a real person. Even the glimpse into Harry's life made him seem too good to be true. Still, intriguing. Harry definitely lived a life of adventure. I'd love to have learned a little more about Hilda and what she was thinking, travelling across the country for a man who promised marriage but left her for years on her own.

[Gabriella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sure this book does indeed tell about all the ups and downs of Harry Stallworthy's career. if you are looking for an interesting read, however, this may not be it. This book mostly relates the facts and at times I found it dull.

If you are looking for the plain (but detailed) facts about his life, this is the book for you. If you are looking for anything more than that, however, you may want to read a different account of his life.