The descendants of dedicated member of the Newfoundland Constabulary attended a ceremony today at Belvedere Cemetery in St. John’s to honour his service.

Sergeant Joseph Corbett served with the Constabulary for 44 years from 1871 until his death in 1914.

The Last Post Fund, which marks the graves of veterans, now recognizes the service of the Newfoundland Constabulary from 1871 to 1945.

Sergeant Corbett’s gravesite was unmarked for years, but the Last Post Fund and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Historical Society came together to rectify that oversight with a long-overdue military marker unveiled today.

Sergeant Corbett is the first former member of the Newfoundland Constabulary to be posthumously recognized with the distinction.

Frank Corbett, a great-grandson of Sergeant Corbett recalls asking his Aunt Marg Corbett if she remembered her grandfather and her response revealed some crucial information.

Corbett says his aunt remembered following Sergeant Corbett’s funeral procession from the Basilica to Belvedere Cemetery which was very important, because records were lost during the Great Fire. Corbett was then able to cross-reference her information with old newspapers, greatly helping the efforts of the Last Post Fund.