Exercise Eskimo

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

The Canadian Army conducted Exercise Eskimo over the winter of 1944/45 in northern Saskatchewan. It's main purpose was to test equipment in arctic conditions should Canada ever have to defend its top half against the Russians. Doing a little poking around I found this video that includes white CMP's, carriers, jeeps and weasels and....several moving armoured snowmobiles. Other pics I found show troops using Enfield No. 5 'jungle carbines' which gave me a chuckle.

http://cdm15126.contentdm.oclc.org/c...l5/id/61/rec/8

This is the shoulder patch worn for the exercise.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Bruce

Just watched the video, very interesting, looking at the men's breath make you wonder how cold was it? Interesting to see the different vehicles. Been some other threads that have talked about this operation with more video if I remember correctly hope some one will respond with a link to the other threads.

Have you worked your way through all of the Saskatchewan War Experience site http://cdm15126.contentdm.oclc.org/c...on/p15126coll5 looks like something to do on a cold winter day with the wind blowing and the snow falling, just to get the full experience.

Cheers Phil

[rob love]

From the "Winter Warfare research Program Exercise Eskimo" books: "During collective training, temps reached -46°F. During the main exercise the lowest temps were -34, and the max was a balmy 38°F."

These equate to -43° C, -37°C, and 3°C. These are all typical temps to find here on the prairies in the winter, although we will see (or at least remember) more of the -37 than the +3.