Photo Identification help

[Stuart Fedak]

Deleted as information is not current

[Rob Fast]

Pine Ridge is just north east of WPG. on Garvin Road. A couple of great golf courses there now. Pine Ridge and Elmhurst courses.

[rob love]

As Rob said, Pine Ridge was just on the edge of Bird's Hill park. We used to use it for day training right into the 90s, and possibly longer. Mostly gravel pits and scrub brush. The army cadets would also go out there for weekend excersizes.

Neat to see the 18pdrs still in use that late.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Stuart,

Lovely pictures; thanks for sharing.

"Monkey 2" is a late 1940, or early 1941, Cab 11 Ford F8. The side shots of the truck in set 003 and 005 are also of an F8 cab 11, so could be the same Monkey.

It's funny to see that they seem to be using a standard F15A GS truck as an artillery tractor in the other pictures (?)

Alex

[rob love]

Sounds like 13 bty was Winnipeg during that time period. Someone wrote a fair history of the Battery here: http://army.ca/forums/index.php?topic=25697.0

[Michael R.]

As gunners, it is interesting but understandable given the location, year and purpose of the scheme to note the absence of issue small arms and accessories. Other than ammunition pouches, no helmets, basic pouches, bayonets, sub-machine guns, or sidearm for the 2nd Lt.

Familiarization with the MK-I BREN, but not too familiar. Can you spot the same fault or error remaining in both images of the BREN?

[David Dunlop]

That abandoned swimming pool would be a significant feature. Anyone know enough local history of the area to know where it would have been located? My thought would be a private property or private club of some sort, possibly where the two golf courses now stand.

I recall when the first Pan American Games were held here in 1967, the Field Equestrian Events were held in the Southern area of what is now called Birds Hill Provincial Park. A few of the obstacles jumps still stand. During construction of the course, contractors discovered a number of artillery and/or mortar shells, which slowed the work for a while. The media at the time indicated the area had been an active military training site during the war. No photo proof provided at the time. Nice to see it finally show up.

David

[David Dunlop]

Hhhmmm. Possibly not near the two golf courses at all. Pine Ridge Course was established in 1912 and Elmhurst, just next door, in 1914. Those two facilities might have been avoided for training purposes. The term 'Pine Ridge', however covers a fairly significant chunk of property, in that area.

David

[David Dunlop]

Curiosity got the better of me.

I emailed the President of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club about the possibility the swimming pool was theirs.

Bingo. Seems it was a plan that was started many years ago, the details of which are a bit vague now, but the plan was abandoned. The 'swimming pool' became a water hazard for the 14th hole for a number of years but was eventually filled in as it did not really fit well with the layout of the course.

So that pinpoints the location of at least one of these photos for you, Stuart.

David

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Michael R.

As gunners, it is interesting but understandable given the location, year and purpose of the scheme to note the absence of issue small arms and accessories. Other than ammunition pouches, no helmets, basic pouches, bayonets, sub-machine guns, or sidearm for the 2nd Lt.

Familiarization with the MK-I BREN, but not too familiar. Can you spot the same fault or error remaining in both images of the BREN?

In both images the barrel nut lever is not seated. With an earlier gun than that it would not be possible to fire the gun....there is a small tab on the nut that would block the piston from moving forward. However, since the gun is a mk1m, that safety feature was omitted, and one could be having to head down range slightly to retrieve ones barrel if live firing.

This very thing happened during the sales pitch to the British government by the Brno engineers. The engineer designed the safety feature almost overnight and it was incorporated into the Bren mk1. A lot of superfluous and luxury features were on the mk1, many of which were deleted on the mk1m, and even more deleted for the mk2.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Stuart Fedak

My knowledge of artillery is very limited. Would it be fair to say that the 18pdrs were left over from WWI and were just being used for initial training purposes at the militia level?

The interwar period was fairly sparse on new acquisitions for the Cdn Army. The guns have the Martin Perry conversion to the rubber tires from the 1930s, and were training guns early in the war. I am a little surprised to still see them in 42, but I suppose the basic artillery skills could be learned on them without having to tie up a 25pr gun needed for the war.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Michael R.

Familiarization with the MK-I BREN, but not too familiar. Can you spot the same fault or error remaining in both images of the BREN?

I meant to add: there is also a fault or error in the usage of the 18pr in sets 9 and set8. Any good Sgt Major would immediately rectify such an error. Can anyone spot it?

[rob love]

Not just leaning, but (shudder) in one photo actually sitting on the gun.

[Ed Storey]

I don't think those rules and traditions came into effect until after the SWW, the post-WWII 'Glory Years' when the citizens army was transformed into a professional military.

[Rob Fast]

I dug this commanders board out of the pile, I knew it was somewhere. I thought pics might be appropriate on this thread. Pine Ridge map dated 1938, with the plexiéplastic overlay and details of the exercise. I have not had time to investigate the details of locations, but here it is. Cheers Rob

[Rob Fast]

back of the board.

[rob love]

The ex on your maps Rob will be after May of 44 since it refers to RCEME.