[maple_leaf_eh]

Someone with access to the Royal Canadian Dragoons' equipment lists should be able to answer your question better.

From my (limited) understanding, these vehicles were taken on strength in Italy by less than authorized means. However, they proved themselves to be so useful, the RCDs carried them on the books legitimately. I don't know of any other way a dismounted 75mm would have come into the Canadian inventory. As for the "carriers" we might expect that with half-tracks in standard equipment tables, if an early vehicle was clapped out, the workshops would have found a suitable replacement from one of the equipment salvage dumps - or by other less than authorized means. Rather than attract too much official attention, my estimation is the Dragoons would have kept the rebuilds as low key as possible.