Interesting antique store finds? Dosimeter, Canadian box, small pack

flying pig

flying pig

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On the way home yesterday my wife and I decided to stop at an antique shop we'd never seen before. She had tons of interesting stuff there but these were the items I was most interested in.

Wondering if you guys can help me with some positive ID's and any info you have abouut the item's history?


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Korean war aged gas mask bag maybe? Its been washed a fair bit, no military markings I could find

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This dosimeter I found really interesting!

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Canadian field telephone box?

Was a good stop!
 
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The first is a small pack Canadian issue with sling. 51 pattern? Someone will be along to sort that out shortly. I was issued one but we didn't care what year it was made. The second is for radiation identification in Nuclear Biological Chemical Warfare, US issue. We didn't have those. (Google search Roentgens for clarification) The last is a box, unspecified and absolutely not for field phones. But it can be repurposed nicely.
 
Thanks Hawkshadow. She gave me a really good deal on everything too. I will be going back to buy from her again for sure. The Dosimeter is dated 2-52, when did the US start making them?
 
flying pig said:
Thanks Hawkshadow. She gave me a really good deal on everything too. I will be going back to buy from her again for sure. The Dosimeter is dated 2-52, when did the US start making them?
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At far back as January 1952? Research when the Russians detonated their first nuke, and go forward. I think you have a Civil Defence / National Survival vintage artifact. The US markings don't necessarily mean it was never used by Canada. It may have been rushed from production to issue before anyone worried about whose name was on the outside.
 
The first recorded test of a Soviet atomic bomb was in 1949 but they had been developing the capability for years and the western governments knew it. Once the world knew the power that atomic weapons possessed they began gearing the militaries to fight and survive on that type of battlefield.

It's hard to say where this piece would have been used, but I don't think it's overly common.. I don't recall ever seeing one before, including at our national museums such as the war museum and the Diefenbunker. I'm sure one of our more experienced contributors may be able to assist here.

The lot number starting in NY - possibly produced by a company in New York?
 
browningautorifle said:
The first is a small pack Canadian issue with sling. 51 pattern? Someone will be along to sort that out shortly. I was issued one but we didn't care what year it was made. The second is for radiation identification in Nuclear Biological Chemical Warfare, US issue. We didn't have those. (Google search Roentgens for clarification) The last is a box, unspecified and absolutely not for field phones. But it can be repurposed nicely.
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First item definitely a P51 small pack. The tab with two grommet holes held the entrenching tool.
 
A dosimeter indicates how much exposure to gamma radiation has accumulated over a period of time. I don't know why I still remember this, but we used the IM 506 PD pencil type dosimeter for this purpose. I was trained in radiation hazard control, tactical defence and decontamination, re-entry operations, and radiation monitoring back in the '60s and never saw the US dosimeter which is shown. I recall using commercial style film badges to record our individual levels of exposure to various live sources during our course and was highly PO'd to learn that I and others had exceeded the maximum permissible dosage/exposure during our training.

We also used several types of military radiation survey/monitoring devices (like civilian geiger counters) to measure current intensity levels. There were other pieces of equipment which would draw air samples thru filter paper to detect the intensity of radiation from airborne particles.

One of my odds and sods secondary duties back then was to operate a Nuclear Detonation Reporting Post in the downwind radiation fan from Toronto. Some job for a young farm boy from the prairies.:eek: I had my own little secure personal bunker complete with instrumentation, generator, stocks of water and hard rations, and pistol which I was to operate and report to NDHQ (if anyone was there to respond) on the intensity of the radiation in the aftermath of a nuclear strike on Toronto. I used to enjoy asking for volunteers among the better looking secretaries to assist with "the paperwork".;):adult:
 
purple said:
A dosimeter indicates how much exposure to gamma radiation has accumulated over a period of time. I don't know why I still remember this, but we used the IM 506 PD pencil type dosimeter for this purpose. I was trained in radiation hazard control, tactical defence and decontamination, re-entry operations, and radiation monitoring back in the '60s and never saw the US dosimeter which is shown. I recall using commercial style film badges to record our individual levels of exposure to various live sources during our course and was highly PO'd to learn that I and others had exceeded the maximum permissible dosage/exposure during our training.

We also used several types of military radiation survey/monitoring devices (like civilian geiger counters) to measure current intensity levels. There were other pieces of equipment which would draw air samples thru filter paper to detect the intensity of radiation from airborne particles.

One of my odds and sods secondary duties back then was to operate a Nuclear Detonation Reporting Post in the downwind radiation fan from Toronto. Some job for a young farm boy from the prairies.:eek: I had my own little secure personal bunker complete with instrumentation, generator, stocks of water and hard rations, and pistol which I was to operate and report to NDHQ (if anyone was there to respond) on the intensity of the radiation in the aftermath of a nuclear strike on Toronto. I used to enjoy asking for volunteers among the better looking secretaries to assist with "the paperwork".;):adult:
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This post may turn in to a wee hijack...but it'll be informative.

We used the PP5120/PD Radiac Detector Charger for the pencil type IM5002A/PD dosimeters. The charger was held in a pouch very similar to the P64 grenade pouch.

The pencil dosimeter was the reason for the "pen pocket" at the side of the left hand breast pocket on the combat shirt/jacket.

I wonder where your little bunker was located in relation to the Target Area Headquarters (TAHQ) which was in an old folks home in Newmarket, or the Regional Emergency Government Headquarters (REGHQ) located in "the hole" at Camp Borden?
 
purple said:
One of my odds and sods secondary duties back then was to operate a Nuclear Detonation Reporting Post in the downwind radiation fan from Toronto. Some job for a young farm boy from the prairies.:eek: I had my own little secure personal bunker complete with instrumentation, generator, stocks of water and hard rations, and pistol which I was to operate and report to NDHQ (if anyone was there to respond) on the intensity of the radiation in the aftermath of a nuclear strike on Toronto.
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Nowadays, I could imagine you attempting to vector all inbound nukes to strike in Toronto (from the safety of your bunker).:)

Sort of like surgically removing a malignant tumor.:D
 
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