Canadian snow related equipment post WW2

[Robin Craig]

Rob I wondered how long it would take to bring that subject up.

As Ed Storey said there was one locally for sale at a show I did not attend and now is the in the possession of Mike Calnan who has generously offered it for me to copy.

It looks a fairly simple item, is the centre portion a manufactured part used elsewhere, I am not a big firearms person.

I am wondering if there is a winter warfare manual that shows a toboggan and all its constituent items.

I am thinking an aluminum shovel, the Coleman stove and lantern, the billy can set to name a few.

[rob love]

The center part is unique in the white version, but can be substituted with the regular black pressed steel version from a normal GPMG M2 tripod. I have owned several of these things over the years, and never had the cast white heads on them, so I can't explain what the real situation was. Mine mostly came from the local scrapyard, so perhaps the removal of the head was some kind of de-milling. It is also possible the the white ones broke and would be substituted with the black ones, which were removed in the end to go back onto the normal tripods. I was combat arms in the militia, but a mechanic for my regular force career. As a mechanic, my time hauling toboggans was quite limited, and I never saw those gun mounts in use. I think they may have been more of a curiosity. I did get stuck onto a sov-op up to Repulse Bay back around 96, and got to experience the coldest that Canada has to offer during a very long and cold week on the tundra.



Other things that went into the toboggan were the snow saw kit, and there was an actual arctic axe back in the day. The axe had a white fiberglass handle with an orange tip on the end. Even with the orange tip, it was the kind of a thing that if you placed it on the ground, it would be lost. I found a few of them in the springtime over the years.



Optional equipment were the mountain stoves, which we would drag along for extra heat. Once you had the coleman two burner going, the lantern going, and the single burner mountain stove, you could get the tent right up to 21°C. You did have to watch out for pink eye of course.



Naptha could either be in their original cans or else the little one gallon green plastic jerry cans. That, of course, would be in the toboggan as well.



I remember kit lists back in the day for the toboggan. The source may have been the winter warfare series of manuals.

[James P]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

Rob I wondered how long it would take to bring that subject up.

As Ed Storey said there was one locally for sale at a show I did not attend and now is the in the possession of Mike Calnan who has generously offered it for me to copy.

It looks a fairly simple item, is the centre portion a manufactured part used elsewhere, I am not a big firearms person.

I am wondering if there is a winter warfare manual that shows a toboggan and all its constituent items.

I am thinking an aluminum shovel, the Coleman stove and lantern, the billy can set to name a few.

We saw the "billy can" (read one gallon tin can from the mess) during Winter Warfare training, used it one day, then chucked it. Find a nice pot set cooking that nest into each other, source a couple of the green naptha cans, a mitt full of 12 inch steel spikes, axe, saw as Rob points out and you would have a cool collection. Never, not once, did I see the toboggan MG mount in use or training, in fact the first and only one I ever saw is the one on display at the CWM.

[Robin Craig]

James and Rob

I think the MG mount is a bit beyond me at the moment but is interesting.

I am so far grateful for all the pointers given and I am attempting slowly to get all the rest of the gear.

Accompanied by my 97 Skandic it should look good when eventually i get it together.

If anyone has any items I am always willing to buy items. My tahnks to Eric Booth for his generous donation of items.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by James P

Find a nice pot set cooking that nest into each other, .

Almost forgot about those. There is the frying pan with the folding handle that also acts as a lid for the pot, and all of it fits into the pressure cooker.
There is also a bent up piece of roundstock that allows you to hang the lantern off the tent pole.



You will also have to find some boxes of rations, and some rolls of the most industrial toilet paper known to man. (For that, you may well have to travel to one of the all-inclusive resorts in Cuba). And, perhaps a roll of the brown paper towel that is totally non-absorbent.



Another item we saw, but I never actually used in the field, are the special boxes with plastic bag in them to make the giant ice blocks that you would use to make defensive positions.



I have a couple of friends who have assembled the winter kit on the toboggan. It ends up taking up a lot of space. Keep looking fopr your stuff locally, and when the list gets shorter, I can likely find the majority of whats left at my favorite scrapyard©.

[James P]

One more item to add to the ever growing list of winter field stores is a arctic cam net (more for vehicles), and a white parachute canopy for the tent. The canopy and some branches is a surprisingly effective way to "cam up" a (green) arctic tent.

[Robin Craig]

I have an artic cam net now, one of several styles, the small holes all the same size over the whole piece. Need to get it out some day soon.

Eric also gave me the lantern hanger, forgot about that, picture attached.

The ice making blocks, yes I have worked with those, would love a few for display.

Just realised Eric also gave me the cooking set described. Again must get some pictures of that.

Again, credit to Eric Booth, I just bought this from ebay for big money. I have a bare scabbard for the same tools for swaps, again from Eric.

[James P]

Snow shoes and bindings are a "sometimes on Princess Auto" sale item to keep an eye open for.

[Robin Craig]

Ah yes I already have a pair of those.

I am very thankful for all the input being given

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by James P

Snow shoes and bindings are a "sometimes on Princess Auto" sale item to keep an eye open for.

Classic trail snowshoes made of magnesium and coated aircraft cable. These things will survive the apocalypse along with the cockroaches.

https://www.herooutdoors.com/canadia...es-w-bindings/

The second style of snowshoes are a tragedy only the Canadian procurement system could achieve. They are too small for the surface area required. I forget whether they are lighter or heavier, but they are shorter. Every QM guy I've asked say they break across the foot arch. Step wrong on a hidden log or bridge in a ditch, and they snap. The soldier is left with a birdsnest of coat hangers hanging off his feet. Will post more pictures and the NSN on the packing label when I find the pic.

The candle holder is a more complex one than I remember. Memory says there was a spring clamp that pinched onto the tent pole like a bicycle pants clip. Still flame orange, but different.

And, let's actually praise the system for buying those cylindrical Thermos brand stainless steel insulated bottles. Don't lose the stopper, but the best I've ever found for keeping tea or coffee warm.