Canadian war production

Perry Kitson · #1 24-02-13, 17:44

I am in the process of compiling a list of Canadian companies that produced materiel for the Canadian military during the war. I am looking for company names, what they produced, how much they produced, and how many employee's. This would cover anything made in Canada, that was used by Canada or it's allies (vehicles, ships, aircraft, weapons of any size, ammunition, clothing, kit, etc.) I know this will produce a huge list, probably a very incomplete one, but any information or direction will be very well received.

Perry

Jon Skagfeld · #2 24-02-13, 23:03

Perry: Are you looking for info on ALL Cdn companies that produced ALL war material?

David Dunlop · #3 24-02-13, 23:44

Perry.

See if anyone can get you a copy of the late Peter Ford's INFOEX work. He covered off a lot of that production information. Also check old book stores for a publication put out by the Canadian Government shortly after the war. It is a hard cover book about the size of an old encyclopedia. Cannot for the life of me recall what it's title is, but it covers details down to the number of rounds of various ammunition etc. etc., and who made what, when and where.

David

servicepub (RIP) · #4 25-02-13, 17:26

Starting point would be J. deN. Kennedy's 2-volume History of the Department of Munitions and Supply. A search on Amicus will find you a library that will loan it via ILL.
Postwar, the Canadian government published a book on Canadian businesses that could export to the world. This includes (and relates) their wartime experience in 'things military'.
If you are serious about the project youo would want to go to Archives and troll the contract lists. If you wish, I can recommend an inexpensive researcher.
Good luck.
Clive

Perry Kitson · #5 26-02-13, 01:18

John,
Yes, I am going to try to be as comprehensive as I can.

David and Clive,
Thanks for the information, I will follow up on that and get back to you if I need any assistance.

If these books have the details I'm looking for, the work may already be done for me.
Perry

David Dunlop · #6 26-02-13, 03:19

Hello again, Perry.

I got curious, went foraging in a file cabinet in the basement and found my copy of INFOEX.

There are seven pages of companies, Peter was able to ID for their production efforts during WW2 in Canada, from A. Belanger Ltd. in Montmagny QC who made Depth Charge Cases, to the Zenite Molybdenite Corp. Ltd in Renfrew, ON who (surprise, surprise) provided Molybdenum.

There are approx 56 companies per page, so Canada's contribution to the war effort was quite significant for a country of under 12 million at the time! If you are interested, I can try and assemble a PDF of this INFOEX information for you. Let me know. I know Peter Ford would be thrilled that somebody new would get a peek at his handwork.

Cheers,

David

servicepub (RIP) · #7 26-02-13, 03:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

... to the Zenite Molybdenite Corp. Ltd
David

Sounds like he missed Zephyr Loom & Textile (ZL&T) who made most of Canada's webbing.

Clive

servicepub (RIP) · #8 26-02-13, 03:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by servicepub

Starting point would be J. deN. Kennedy's 2-volume History of the Department of Munitions and Supply. A search on Amicus will find you a library that will loan it via ILL.
Postwar, the Canadian government published a book on Canadian businesses that could export to the world. This includes (and relates) their wartime experience in 'things military'.
If you are serious about the project youo would want to go to Archives and troll the contract lists. If you wish, I can recommend an inexpensive researcher.
Good luck.
Clive

I should add: at Archives you can go through the bound indices, divided by year, of the Privy Council. Every purchase made by DND, DMS, etc.., are listed as every purchase had to have government approval.

Clive

alamotex · #9 26-02-13, 23:33

Was TRUCK ENGINEERING LTD of Woodstock, Ontario,the primary contractor for supplying trailers used for mobile radars ?Tony Smith posted the attached image( on another thread ) of the ident tag found on the radar trailer he once owned. I have since found that the company was renamed KING TRUCK ENGINEERING LTD in 1944

Cheers Brian

Mike Cecil · #10 27-02-13, 06:50

Perry,

I have some Canadian Mutual Aid lists of items supplied to Australia somewhere. Don't remember if they are 'company specific' or simply lists the objects provided, but it may give you some clues re production items to look for or match to companies.

I suppose it needs to be asked: where do you draw the line? A lot of 'raw'/part-processed material was also provided by Canada to Australia - chemicals, timber, cloth, and so on, used to make other stuff. Are you interested in these sorts of things as well? They were just as valuable to the war effort as the trucks, ships and rifles.

There was also the companies that moved the gear, too. I have references to various contracts with CDN rail to move items to the US west coast from the east, in order to avoid the shipping hazards along the US east coast and through the choke point at the entrance to the Panama Canal: favorite hunting grounds for U-Boats. A number of Australia-bound vessels with goods from Canada were sunk along that route to the point where the decision was taken to freight items west, and ship from there.

This could be a very broad project depending on how you define your parameters. Let us know what limits you want to place on it, and we'll provide "as appropriate". Will you handle this info as a database, like MS Access or similar?

Mike C

Perry Kitson · #11 03-03-13, 00:45

Hi Mike,

I'm thinking raw materials, components and finished products for categories. A large task indeed. I have found reference to some Canadian government publications post war that may have this information already compiled.

Perry

Bruce MacMillan · #12 03-03-13, 17:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by servicepub

Starting point would be J. deN. Kennedy's 2-volume History of the Department of Munitions and Supply. .
Good luck.
Clive

There is a pair listed on Abe Books right now. Wow!, they are not cheap!

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sear...anada&x=42&y=4

japes · #13 03-03-13, 21:24

Hi Perry,

I would be willing to turn Peter Ford's Infoex into a spread sheet so that it can be more easily modified and added to if that would help you? I'm a two finger typer so it may take awhile but it'll get there before the warm weather starts. Let me know if that would be useful.

J.P.