Canadian CVRT Scorpion purchase

[Dan Martel]

In the 1970 issue of The Strathconian is an article on the Scorpion and Fox trials. I've transcribed it below.

"Scorpion and Fox Trials

Scorpion! Great Britain's bid to fulfill the Free World's requirement for a scout backup: a Direct Fire Support Vehicle (DFSV). During the period August 1970 - April 1971 Strathcona's played an active role in the Canadian Land Forces search for a DSFV. Firstly, we pioneered the "Sarcee-Glenmore": a mocked-up M113A1 training expedient, to allow us to maintain the state of our tracked reconnaissance expertise during this "lack of DSFV" phase.

Secondly, we committed ourselves heavily to the Canadian Forces Headquarter's interest in the British Scorpion programme. Captain R.H. (Bob) Caldwell left for England and the RAC Centre at Bovington in late August heading his own Canadian Trials Detachment - at last he had attained Nirvana - independent command (albeit of four men) out of the country!

During the autumn period, which found Caldwell commanding a troop of Scorpions in Southern England, the Regiment was preparing to assist the British Army with their cold weather trials, nicknamed Exercise Prairie Snow, to be conducted at good ol' (you guessed it) Wainwrong early January until end March.

Captain Caldwell and his merry men brought the Prairie Snow vehicles; two Scorpions and two Foxes, back from England at Christmas, thus allowing the Regiment to take a further look at the new hardware: through the human media of WO Blanch, Sgt Welsh, Cpl McDonnell, Cpl Burtch, Cpl Parker, Cpl Gray, Cpl Munn and Cpl Dawley. As we go to press, Capt Caldwell's trials detachment has returned from Britain pending further British trials activities. Prairie Snow appears to have been a profound success, and no doubt exists in anyone's mind that the Strathcona's have done their share of supporting the Forces quest for a Direct Fire Support Vehicle."

The British War Office numbers for the two Fox from the photos accompanying the article are 00SP79 and 00SP50. Neither are seen with CAR licence plates. Only photos of one of the two Scorpions are shown: 01SP03 with a CAR plate, like the photograph in the second post.

The issue includes a line diagram of the Regiment's new 1970 light armour organization.

Cheers,
Dan.