Corporal Blanche Moniz (WRAC)

Sad passing of Blanche Moniz -  After the passing of her husband, retired Chief Inspector Ernie Moniz  in 2001, Mrs Blanche Moniz was very helpful in preparing a lovely  article about Ernie for our ExPo “Hall of Fame”.   Always immaculate,  Ernie  was, without doubt, one of the great characters who served in the Bermuda Police and will be fondly remembered by all who served with him and under him, especially when he was OIC Operations.

Chief Inspector Ernie Moniz
In his office at Operations
 Operations Traffic Division, OIC Chief Inspector Ernie Moniz - November 1978.
Back Row (l-r) Anthony Taylor, Roger Brydon, Hiram Edwards, 
John Instone, George Rushe, David O’Meara, 
John Baxter, Nicky Bolton, Charlie Mooney, Mike Phillips , 
Barry Higham, Dave Smith, Laurie Phillips, 
Pater Walgate, Gordon Farquhuar, Gary Murrell, Frank Wood, Lyndon Lewis.
Front Row (l-r) Dennis Gordon, Sgt John Graham, Brenda Lewis, Orson Daisley, 
Dee Tavares, Roger Beschizza, Chief Inspector Ernie Moniz, Inspector Robin
Henagulph, Inspector Arthur Rose, Andy Hall, Stephen Peterson, Sgt Roger Sherratt, 
Archie Husbands, Roger Kendall, Esther Smith, Mike Burke, Carol Royer.
 

We were very sorry to read in today’s Royal Gazette (28th Jan 2026) that Blanche has passed away at the age of 96, and her funeral will be held on Monday, February 2, 2026 at Emmanuel Methodist Church in Southampton Parish.

 
Blanche and her friends with Ernest at Queen 
Victoria’s statue outside Buckingham Palace - 1951
(Blanche on right)
 

Young Ernest “Ernie” Moniz had served here in the Dockyard Police for 3 years before heading for Canada where he joined the elite Provost Corps of the Canadian Army Police and had been posted to West Germany. It was while on leave in England in 1951 that  young Corporal Moniz met a young lady serving in the Women’s Royal Army Corps (WRAC) named Blanche. They met under the statue of Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham Palace  where Ernie took a photo of Blanche and two of her WRAC colleagues. They exchanged contact details and struck up a friendship through correspondence which blossomed and the two were married two years later.

CLICK HERE to view our "Hall of Fame" article on the the late retired Chief Inspector Ernie Moniz.

We offer sincere condolences to Blanche’s family and friends.