CMP Pictures in service in British Columbia (bought on e-bay)

Phil Waterman · #1 22-10-06, 02:34

Hi Gang

Here is the 1st of the photos that bought recently on e-bay this first picture is to see if they will post OK. I’m working on scanning them in at high resolution to raise the maximum detail. Looks like these are Kodak Brownie photos shot on 620 film and then contact printed so there is pretty good detail. I’ll be posting higher resolution copies to my web page.

Phil Waterman · #2 22-10-06, 20:53

I've posted all the pictures to my web site on a separate page. Any information that you can supply will be greatly appreciated.

I'd like to locate the pictures on a map, identify the locations and if possible get pictures of same locations today. Also, want to identify the units.

The convoy is an interesting mix of vehicles looks like Patterns 11, 12 and 13 are represented.

http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/C...20Columbia.htm

Keith Webb · #3 22-10-06, 21:16

Excellent work Phil and thanks for sharing them with us.

Looks like that HUP had the engine running, and you can see some cab 12 and 13 gun tractors in the shot with the vehicle park.

Pete Ashby · #4 22-10-06, 22:07

Phil

Supper set of pictures

I'm intrigued by picture #13 of a 12 cab Chev 15cwt in the ditch.

There are two points of interest:

1 note the very flat profile on the edge of the wing, it may be just a trick of the light but they do look very flat.

2 It looks like a battery box on the step

Interested in other peoples take on this

Pete

Phil Waterman · #5 22-10-06, 23:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Pete Ashby
Phil

Supper set of pictures

I'm intrigued by picture #13 of a 12 cab Chev 15cwt in the ditch.

There are two points of interest:

1 note the very flat profile on the edge of the wing, it may be just a trick of the light but they do look very flat.

2 It looks like a battery box on the step

Interested in other peoples take on this

Pete

Pete - Interesting points
How can you distinguish that it is a C15cwt?
The battery box on the step also fits in with an earlier MLU thread. http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/sh...&threadid=7047
I'll post a link to 600 dpi level scan of the picture on my site.

Bruce MacMillan · #6 23-10-06, 03:04

Both Walde and myself know where most of thoses pictures were taken. We'll try and get some "after" pictures for comparison. I'll mark up a map to show the location in southern B.C.

Were you able to make out the date on the licence plate of the overturned jeep?

and a lesson learned in communication!! Had I contacted Phil before hand we could have kept the cost down.

Bob Carriere · #7 23-10-06, 03:29

....for sharing these rather unique slodier's perspective of what it was like on manouvers.

Picture #..13 is of high interest..... alsmost exactly the same as my cab 11.... same tool box and no spare. Would the profile fo the radiator guard mounted on the bumper denote a Chebby???

As anyone else observed that none of trucks have bar thread tires..... all the one I could make out have regualr highway tires.... could it explain the icy road dilemna...?? and noe had chains...... seems to me they camped at a lower altitude on dirt roads and got caught higher up a pass with a sudden freeze over....

Interesting mix of uniforms.... would be nice to establish the exact date...... they were not short of equipment.... could the highway tires denote a war time convoy with civvy tires to save the chevron tires of the active service???

Phil we owe you for sharing these pictures....

Bob

cletrac (RIP) · #8 23-10-06, 05:02

Looking at these pictures with the position of the roads in relation to the rivers this convoy went north up the Fraser River canyon to Lytton then up the Thompson River canyon to Ashcroft where they headed up the Dawson Creek highway through Quesnel. That's the farthest north place that's named but it was just "on the way," and this is halfway up the province. With the size of the convoy it makes me wonder if it had something to do with the Alaska highway because that's the route they're on.

cletrac (RIP) · #9 23-10-06, 05:36

Checking these pix again, one thing stands out. They all seem to be the same colour (I'd say khaki G3). Maybe that helps explain why I've never seen one in western Canada that was a different colour.

Alex Blair (RIP) · #10 23-10-06, 13:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Phil Waterman
Pete - Interesting points
How can you distinguish that it is a C15cwt?
The battery box on the step also fits in with an earlier MLU thread. http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/sh...&threadid=7047
I'll post a link to 600 dpi level scan of the picture on my site.

Phil..
Although it is almost burried in snow ,the front hub must be smaller than the rear hub..or else you could see the top half of it ,,and the drive shaft angle looks like like a two wheel drive configuration....
I could be wrong but maybe there are other clues..

Grant Bowker · #11 23-10-06, 13:44

I am certain that I remeber reading what I thought of as an authoritative source (but can't find now, the usual problem) saying that most vehicles, not just MCP or 4x2, kept in Canada were to use on-road tread patterns to conserve rubber.

Phil Waterman · #12 23-10-06, 16:06

First I've already gotten several interesting e-mails about the pictures and will add more info and interesting links to BC history web sites as they come in.

About the tires, I have gone back to the higher resolution pictures and it appears that there was a mix of road, chevron, and non-directional military.

Jeep in #2 had non-directional no surprise
Gun in #3 has chevron, looks like all the guns do
First 3 Trucks in # 8 have chevron tires
#10 truck nearest the camera has chevron as do the two FATs in center possibly the truck in between them as well

Nevertheless, the regular highway truck tires do seem to dominate. Had a set of these on my HUP at one time and must say that they are much better riding than any of the non-directions I’ve ever had.

Bruce MacMillan · #13 23-10-06, 19:40

The route of the convoy through the Fraser Canyon would suggest a regiment from the greater Vancouver area. The licence plate date and badge id's would help greatly. Also most of the guns seem to be bofors so can we assume an anti-aircraft unit?

The last photo is of the Quesnel bridge and this gives access to a vast area west of the Fraser river and this has long been a training ground for the army. The highway to Alaska through Prince George wasn't built until 1952.

sapper740 · #14 23-10-06, 19:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Phil Waterman
I've posted all the pictures to my web site on a separate page. Any information that you can supply will be greatly appreciated.

I'd like to locate the pictures on a map, identify the locations and if possible get pictures of same locations today. Also, want to identify the units.

The convoy is an interesting mix of vehicles looks like Patterns 11, 12 and 13 are represented.

http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/C...20Columbia.htm

Phil, all your pics were virtually taken in my backyard. I've spent well over 3 decades hunting, hiking and exploring all the place names seen on your pics. Further, my Grandfather was Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia and had a B.Sc. in Mining Engineering from Queen's and a Ph.D. in Geology from Yale. From '38 to '40 my Grandfather explored the oil resources of Northern B.C. and in part information from his surveys were instrumental in determing the route of the Alcan Highway. He spent much of '43, '44 and '45 exploring the region opened up by the highway. In 1943 my grandfather founded the War Metals Research Board. It would take up too much bandwidth of this forum to relate all the history and personal anecdotes of the place names on your pics. If you have any site specific questions, please don't hesitate to contact me for in depth info.

CHIMO!

Pete Ashby · #15 23-10-06, 20:13

Look what I’ve just found guys,

this ones straight out of the crate Ford or Chev ? I'm not sure but definitely 4x2 as we can all see,......... but look in the area circled red…….a battery box and it looks like the screw lugs loose on the step.

As for the 15cwt in the ditch in your photo Phil now I have looked at it on higher res I could believe I can see the ends of the nudge bar sticking out of the brackets..........that would make it a Ford.
Don’t know for sure but very interesting just the same, I still think the wing profile is a lot flatter than I’m used to seeing.

Regards

Pete