Picture of the day

[bogusiii]

One West Coast "zombie" brigade fought in the Aleutian Islands and were fully US equipped. Western training centres likely made use of that kit when the troops came home. There was also a division planned fur the invasion of Japan to be equipped with US kit which started training in the spring of 45.

Here's Canadian uniforms from both the Kiska invasion (Canadians kept their regular battledess and arms but did have some American equipment) and the 6th Division CAPF (Canadian Army Pacific Force) that was to be part of the Japan invasion force. The hexagon flash was either worn alone or sewn on top of a soldier's formation flash when he volunteered for the force. Its colours are red/blue/grey/green/maroon and black which represented the colours of Canada's 5 overseas divisions and its armoured corps. It's interesting that at the end of the war in Europe when Canadian troops were bored and really wanted to come home they offered to ship you ASAP providing you volunteered for the CAPF. A devil of a choice but one that paid off as the war in the Pacific ended and the volunteers were never needed.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Here's Canadian uniforms from both the Kiska invasion (Canadians kept their regular battledess and arms but did have some American equipment) and the 6th Division CAPF (Canadian Army Pacific Force) that was to be part of the Japan invasion force. The hexagon flash was either worn alone or sewn on top of a soldier's formation flash when he volunteered for the force. Its colours are red/blue/grey/green/maroon and black which represented the colours of Canada's 5 overseas divisions and its armoured corps. It's interesting that at the end of the war in Europe when Canadian troops were bored and really wanted to come home they offered to ship you ASAP providing you volunteered for the CAPF. A devil of a choice but one that paid off as the war in the Pacific ended and the volunteers were never needed.



They didn't need Japs there to complicate things.


Tragically, twenty Americans and four Canadians died and fifty Americans and one Canadian were wounded as they shot each other in the fog or tripped mines and booby traps.

Grizz

 

[bogusiii]

Here's Canadian uniforms from both the Kiska invasion (Canadians kept their regular battledess and arms but did have some American equipment) and the 6th Division CAPF (Canadian Army Pacific Force) that was to be part of the Japan invasion force. The hexagon flash was either worn alone or sewn on top of a soldier's formation flash when he volunteered for the force. Its colours are red/blue/grey/green/maroon and black which represented the colours of Canada's 5 overseas divisions and its armoured corps. It's interesting that at the end of the war in Europe when Canadian troops were bored and really wanted to come home they offered to ship you ASAP providing you volunteered for the CAPF. A devil of a choice but one that paid off as the war in the Pacific ended and the volunteers were never needed.



They didn't need Japs there to complicate things.


Tragically, twenty Americans and four Canadians died and fifty Americans and one Canadian were wounded as they shot each other in the fog or tripped mines and booby traps.

Grizz

Sadly that is true. Patrols roaming in the dark, fog, cold and often lost fired on each other as it was still felt the Japanese were lurking about. Despite being 'zombies' the troops did well and there was a real possibility Kiska would be defended leading to another bloodbath like on the previous Attu Island landing. Today Kiska, complete with its war relics, is completely uninhabited and is a nature preserve. Definitely on my bucket list if it's remotely (pun intended) possible to get there.

 

[x westie]

That's a hairy lookin' bunch there.

I read somewhere, a few years back , Canadians were well known in South Africa for their colourful language, and stealing horses , from some unsuspecting British or Canadian officer

 

[purple]

I read somewhere, a few years back , Canadians were well known in South Africa for their colourful language, and stealing horses , from some unsuspecting British or Canadian officer ��

Canadian troops have always been known for their high VD rates as well.

 

[bearhunter]

These photos are of my Grandfather training at the Vernon Military camp 1944/45 he did not end up in Europe they got turned around after leaving Halifax and were told the war was over.

Training with an M1 Garand, interesting

 

[bogusiii]

Canadian troops have always been known for their high VD rates as well.

Canadians in England between 1940 to 1943 (Sicily) and 1944 (Normandy) had local officials begging to send them somewhere...anywhere...to protect the local young ladies.

 

[Sharps '74]

Just Canadians, huh .... ? right ....

 

[green]

Training with an M1 Garand, interesting

Cdn Army in Canada had about 9000 Garands in 1945.
Oops 1949 Edgecombe

 

[bearhunter]

Cdn Army in Canada had about 9000 Garands in 1945.

Yup, you're right. I just didn't know they had any in Vernon. Makes sense though. I've seen a lot of pics of trainees/boots that went through that camp and I knew several of the REMEs that were stationed there and later settled to live out the rest of their lives in the OK Valley. All have passed on now.

I know they had lots of foreign equipment there to train troops in their use, as well as to familiarize them with the capabilities of their enemy's weapons.

It's just the first time I've seen a picture of one that was at the camp.

A couple of good friends, long gone, Les Viel and Walt Rogers both claimed to have worked on Garands, M1 Carbines, Arisakas, K98s and just about every pistol and submachine gun known at the time.

One of them ended up on the Alaska panhandle. That was Walt Rogers. He claimed a lot of US equipment was used by Canadian troops there.

I'm not surprised to see it, just interested to know the story behind it. No one left to ask.

 

[purple]

The Canadian Army Pacific Force was equipped with US small arms and iorganized along US lines for the planned invasion of Japan. Some of the weapons went into Canadian stocks afterwards. A no BS friend told me that he did training at 202 Wksp Montreal where he was allowed to build up a Garand from parts. He also mentioned that some of the Garand parts that were imported from Denmark 25 yrs ago or so were in Cdn Army packaging.

I once communicated with a fellow who had a nice original Garand and that the stock had C/ broad arrow Cdn property marks. Unfortunately, somebody had glued it into the stock by glass bedding the rifle w/o release agent.

 

[Ganderite]

The movie "Commandos Strike at Dawn" (Norway) was filed in BC, with Rangers being the forces on both sides.

Pretty sure I saw a Ross in there.

 

[A.B.Gun]

Yup, you're right. I just didn't know they had any in Vernon. Makes sense though. I've seen a lot of pics of trainees/boots that went through that camp and I knew several of the REMEs that were stationed there and later settled to live out the rest of their lives in the OK Valley. All have passed on now.

I know they had lots of foreign equipment there to train troops in their use, as well as to familiarize them with the capabilities of their enemy's weapons.

It's just the first time I've seen a picture of one that was at the camp.

A couple of good friends, long gone, Les Viel and Walt Rogers both claimed to have worked on Garands, M1 Carbines, Arisakas, K98s and just about every pistol and submachine gun known at the time.

One of them ended up on the Alaska panhandle. That was Walt Rogers. He claimed a lot of US equipment was used by Canadian troops there.

I'm not surprised to see it, just interested to know the story behind it. No one left to ask.

Exactly my Grandfather came from Bruce mines Ontario, after training and not ending up over seas he settled in kelowna met my grandma had 7 kids and my dad was the 2nd youngest and I wss born in kelowna grew up in vernon and did my whole cadet career at CSTC Vernon 1998 -2006.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

For you, the war is over.

 

[Auggie Doggie]

The Royal Canadian Dragoons have a badge featuring a South African Springbok to this day because of an action that happened there.

The Strathconas were there too (NB: not "Lord"'s until several years later), and it was the baptism-by-fire for graduates of Royal Military College.

My Great grandfather was an original Strathcona, signed up by Sam Steele himself. He was in B squadron in SA.

Auggie D.

 

[A.B.Gun]

Here's Canadian uniforms from both the Kiska invasion (Canadians kept their regular battledess and arms but did have some American equipment) and the 6th Division CAPF (Canadian Army Pacific Force) that was to be part of the Japan invasion force. The hexagon flash was either worn alone or sewn on top of a soldier's formation flash when he volunteered for the force. Its colours are red/blue/grey/green/maroon and black which represented the colours of Canada's 5 overseas divisions and its armoured corps. It's interesting that at the end of the war in Europe when Canadian troops were bored and really wanted to come home they offered to ship you ASAP providing you volunteered for the CAPF. A devil of a choice but one that paid off as the war in the Pacific ended and the volunteers were never needed.

Here are the only other 2 photos I have of him from that time better quality photos, maybe you guys can see something I don't that would point out something interesting.

 

[millwright]

Ah the Rocky Mountain Rabbit Rapers. I got to wear that style battle dress in cadets in the 70's. Loved it. Weights in the bottom of the pants ,putties, nice red beret. I loved it. That's how I learned to wield a iron so well


Did I say I loved it? 2618 Rocky Mountain Rangers what a engaging two years of my life. Shout out to all the other cadidiots.

 

[rascal1]

Seems like a timely picture. A Kansas army base during the Spanish flu epidemic. Vast numbers of travelling military members and inept handling of the outbreak helped to spread it.

Grizz

Seems like a common theme right now. Insert travelling tourists/civilians and an inept federal government handling this current pandemic.

 

[A.B.Gun]

Ah the Rocky Mountain Rabbit Rapers. I got to wear that style battle dress in cadets in the 70's. Loved it. Weights in the bottom of the pants ,putties, nice red beret. I loved it. That's how I learned to wield a iron so well


Did I say I loved it? 2618 Rocky Mountain Rangers what a engaging two years of my life. Shout out to all the other cadidiots.

I was with 1705 British Columbia Dragoons for almost 2 years and then transferred to 63 RCSCC Kalamalka Sea Cadets for 4 years! Huge shout out to all the ex cadets.

 

[millwright]

A member of the Da goons, and then the Anchor Crankers. Nice. I went from the Pigeons to the Ground Pounders. It was alot more fun,
to me at the time. We had a rifle team,a band,search and rescue training, etc etc wonderful FN's and Lee Enfields (N0 4's and 7's)