When was C/Broad Arrow Introduced?
 

Does anybody know when the Canadian C/Broad Arrow was introduced and first appeared on equipment? I have read that this happened in 1907 per Militia Order 213 but am unable to verify this. Also, in Law’s “From Scarlet to Khaki” there is shown a combination web water bottle and entrenching tool carrier with the C/Broad Arrow marking dated 1913 (page 228) but I don’t know if 1913 denotes year of manufacture, year of contract or web equipment pattern (the piece of equipment is Pattern 1913) And are there any known examples of pre-1913 C/Broad Arrow marked equipment?

C Broad Arrow
 

Militia Order 213 from 1907 is the documentation used to substantiate the date in which the C Broad Arrow was introduced. I own the 1913 Pattern Entrenching Tool/Water Bottle Carrier and as per military labeling practices, the 1913 stamp is the the year of manufacture and not the contract year or pattern year.

Attachment 129593

If you look at SWW 1937 Pattern Web, you can find Canadian dated manufactured items with stamps from 1940 onwards which obviously are not the pattern year. Attached is a photograph of a 1910 dated Oliver Dismounted 1898 Pattern leather Waistbelt with a C Broad Arrow stamp.

Attachment 129594

Thank you, Ed, for your help.
Frank

C Broad Arrow
 

At the other end of this spectrum, I have a KFS set marked 1952...the latest date I've come across.

I have seen the C/i\ on a KFS from around 62. I think it was a case of manufacturers following the design plan that were made earlier than the change.



Another example of that is that around 1999, the CF supply was out of field dressings. When they did show up, they were marked 1953....again an example of a company following the drawings to the letter.