Canadian snow related equipment post WW2

[rob love]

The hole on top of the poles was normally for a washer and a cotter pin. The soldiers were forever coming to me for the pins, as they would bend it over each time and wreck them. The reason for the pin you ask? Because the guy who would crawl into the tent to place the pole into the hole (he was called the pole man) would have to stand there until the rest of the guys got tension onto the guy ropes.

At one point I actually made up washers with a little chain and the pin, hoping they would quit losing them. It didn't take long before I quit making those up. Perhaps if I painted them orange.

There were also those little plastic orange tent pegs...useless in the arctic temps with frozen ground. They would be replaced by 10 or 12" steel spikes. Of course, when you went to move the troops would merely toss the guy ropes with nails still attached and fold up the tent. That way, when they set it up again, they could have that planetarium effect of seeing daylight thorough the dozens of holes that were now in the canvas. The mat techs would then scrap the tent, depending on how many holes there were. Remember they got a fresh set of dozens of holes for each teardown and movement.

Re the toboggans, those 100 pound ones could be found in aluminum or fiberglass. There is also a white canvas cover for them, similar to that used on the 200 pound toboggan. Some of the toboggans can be found with the C/l\ on them along with the other nomenclature, although I have only seen post war versions of these toboggans. I used to keep one in my MRT as it was perfect for moving vehicle battery's along the gun line when you had to do repairs on the M109s. .

[Robin Craig]

Rob, if ever you see a cover there is a home here for it. I understand about the pin and washer on the top of the poles. Understandable.

As far as the pegs and the resultant holes I have seen that first hand when out with the CF and the reaming troops got when the QM staff saw it gong on.

I was about talk about pegs in another post.

[Robin Craig]

At some point candles were issued. This mouse gnawed example is the only one I have, I am looking for another or few.

These holders were both designed I am told, to attach by means of the spring to the tent pole or be pressed into the ground. One is missing it's spring and I will buy something available locally

[Robin Craig]

extra picture from previous post

[charlie fitton]

I've never seen the candle holder...very much like

[James P]

Nice start at building up a Arctic Tent group. Find a WW2 heavy canvas sigs satchel and start filling it with the stuff like candle holders, candles, slip joint pliers, flat tip screw driver, Coleman stove generators, Coleman lantern mantles and generators, canvas sewing kit, roll each of gun tape and para cord. You have the orange ground disks for those poles, they tended to freeze to the ground and get overlooked when packing up in the dark. The small toboggan was for the five man Arctic tent and I think/recall the orange pole was a five man tent item also, the top end of the pole with the hole was as Rob L pointed out for a washer and pin, in practice we just left the pole attached though the puckered orifice at the tent apex to save time and effort. Also wrap para cord around the pole 5-6 times and tent apex and tie off tightly to further secure the pole to tent . The green harness is for either the five or ten man toboggan groups..........one size fits all.

[Robin Craig]

Rob, James and Charlie thanks for your comments,

I have a tent itself and once repaired I will show that.

Slowly assembling the items is the way any of us gather a collection, but also spread the word that we are looking for things.

I have a really nice piece currently under a purchase process.

A ten man toboggan so far eludes me, I have been offered one locally at a price I just can't afford but I know where it is and if I get enough work on my side job I may be able to put it under the Christmas tree . . .