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The markings seem to be military acceptance stamps. The RCMP and its predecessors (RNWMP and NWMP) were never issued the S&W in .455. First calibers issued were .450 Adams, then .476 Enfield. The Colt New Service in .45 Colt was adopted around 1905 and was (so far) the longest-serving issue sidearm, remaining in service for 49 years until 1954.
In 1954 the RCMP adopted the S&W M&P in .38 Special with 5" barrel. It remained in service for some 40 years until replaced as the standard sidearm for uniformed officers by the 9mm S&W 5946 in the 1990s.
The .455 was used in British service revolvers prior to and during WW I. When British gunmakers couldn't begin to meet demand as the military expanded during the war, Britain contracted with S&W and Colt for revolvers, and as a matter of logistics specified they be in .455. Since Canadian troops were fighting alongside British forces from 1914 on it made sense to use the same cartridge.
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