Canadian 19-Set Working Instructions

[Chris Suslowicz]

I have a reasonable selection of manuals, from the (undated) Mk.I - very interesting because it has "tabletop" displays of various configurations with the parts lists, a couple of variations of the Mk.II manual (for sets made in the US and Canada), and the Canadian Mk.III.

The British "Working Instructions Part 1" is a much thinner and less useful pamphlet, and is basically intended for the operator. (The US/Canadian ones are more like the Signal Training Volume III pamphlets for earlier equipment, or the Technical Description and First Echelon Servicing EMERs which replaced them.)

The amount of documentation was relentlessly slimmed down during WW2, and only really issued to the people who actually needed it, mainly to reduce waste of scarce resources.

As an example, Signal Training (All Arms) went from a thick book (updated about every 4 years) in 1938 (last issue) to a series of pamphlets and a binder, which could be updated as sections changed, and selected to suit the owner's role in 1942. (It was also a lot less to have to carry around - important for the Infantry.)

Chris