WWII Bedroll named to Capt. Pratt C.A.C.

Jholl72 · #1 30-08-07, 22:29

Hi everyone,
I have just come across a bedroll named to a Capt. Pratt of the Canadian Armoured Corps.
Once again, as I am non-military, I was hoping someone might help me out with some of the markings and any information about the Capt.
Can anyone tell me the significance of the XUK-200 markings?
Thanks for any help offered.
Regards,
Jeff

Jholl72 · #2 30-08-07, 22:31

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Jholl72 · #3 30-08-07, 22:32

There were some photos of some crew with Shermans, so I assume the Capt was involved with those tanks.

Jholl72 · #4 30-08-07, 22:32

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Jholl72 · #5 30-08-07, 22:32

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Jholl72 · #6 30-08-07, 22:33

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Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #7 30-08-07, 23:15

Nice find! At least he's not listed with the CWGC, so that's a start...

Jholl72 · #8 07-09-07, 22:57

Thanks Geoff, I hadn't thought of checking there.
I went back and took some pics of the armoured pics inside the trunk...thought maybe some of the armoured guys here might be interested.

Jholl72 · #9 07-09-07, 22:57

pic

Jholl72 · #10 07-09-07, 22:58

pics

Jholl72 · #11 07-09-07, 22:58

picss

Jholl72 · #12 07-09-07, 22:59

Last one

Hanno Spoelstra · #13 07-09-07, 23:03

Interesting items.

The Sherman tanks in these pictures are M4A3E8's as used by the Canadians during training in Canada after WW2.

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #14 08-09-07, 00:46

The ones over here were all A2E8s, were they not, Hanno? I know we had the A3s in Korea, but not here AFAIK...

Jon Skagfeld · #15 08-09-07, 06:06

Quote:

Originally posted by Jholl72
Hi everyone,
I have just come across a bedroll named to a Capt. Pratt of the Canadian Armoured Corps.
Once again, as I am non-military, I was hoping someone might help me out with some of the markings and any information about the Capt.
Can anyone tell me the significance of the XUK-200 markings?
Thanks for any help offered.
Regards,
Jeff

Let me make a totally off-the-wall guess about those markings:

XUK=from UK, i.e. a consignment designation

MD2=consigned to Manning Depot No 2

CAO-= Canadian Army Occupational Force.

So...since Pratt was Armoured, and the only Canadian Occupational Force organization was 3rd Infantry Division and since 17th Duke of York's Own Royal Canadian Hussars (7th Recce Regt) were the only Armoured unit therein organic, could it be that Pratt was from the 17th DYO? IIRC the 17th were stood down in 1947 at a parade at Bleury St Armoury in Montreal.

Hanno Spoelstra · #16 08-09-07, 11:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
The ones over here were all A2E8s, were they not, Hanno? I know we had the A3s in Korea, but not here AFAIK...

Typo! M4A2E8 is what they are.

H.

John McGillivray · #17 08-09-07, 15:21

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Let me make a totally off-the-wall guess about those markings:

XUK=from UK, i.e. a consignment designation

MD2=consigned to Manning Depot No 2

CAO-= Canadian Army Occupational Force.

So...since Pratt was Armoured, and the only Canadian Occupational Force organization was 3rd Infantry Division and since 17th Duke of York's Own Royal Canadian Hussars (7th Recce Regt) were the only Armoured unit therein organic, could it be that Pratt was from the 17th DYO? IIRC the 17th were stood down in 1947 at a parade at Bleury St Armoury in Montreal.

Hi Jon,

It looks like it reads “C.A.C.” and not “C.A.O.” .Also my uncle served with the Canadian Occupational Force as part of 2/12th Fd Regt. In his mailing address he used “C.O.F.” and not “C.A.O.” His address appears on the back of a photo he sent to my mother.

Last I checked the Regimental history of 7th Recce and there is no “Pratt” in it. (I scanned the history some time ago and saved it as a Word Document, so I just did a search for the name “Pratt”)

http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/sh...&threadid=2871

Mark W. Tonner · #18 08-09-07, 17:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Jholl72
Thanks Geoff, I hadn't thought of checking there.
I went back and took some pics of the armoured pics inside the trunk...thought maybe some of the armoured guys here might be interested.

The image below is identified as Canadian Army Photo CC3730 and is captioned: "The Royal Canadian Dragoons taking their new 76mm diesel-powered Shermans into the field shortly after their move to Camp Petawawa in the spring of 1948."

Mark W. Tonner · #19 08-09-07, 17:31

The cap badge in the below image is that of the Royal Canadian Dragoons

Mark W. Tonner · #20 08-09-07, 17:36

Reference the two images posted below:

- in the top image, is the number that appears under the large white '2' (and bar), - '936' ?

- in the bottom image, do the letters read 'RC' ?

Wayne McGee · #21 08-09-07, 19:32

The photo of the happy couple in their yard show a Snr NCO, not a Capt and, an interesting device is sewn on above the crown or, just a peice of schmutz on the photo.
Before I read Mark's caption describing post-war Pet, I was going to say that it seemed familiar as 7th Line in Meaford with Cape Rich(?) on the horizon.
Great find!
Pratt is an old rural name from here in North Central Nova Scotia if that helps.

Cheers

Mark W. Tonner · #22 08-09-07, 20:06

Quote:

Originally posted by Wayne McGee
Before I read Mark's caption describing post-war Pet, I was going to say that it seemed familiar as 7th Line in Meaford with Cape Rich(?) on the horizon.........

It does remind one of the 7th line in Meaford doesn't it, but you have to remember that Meaford is ten feet up the arsehole of the world and the photo in question is to pleasant for that......

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #23 08-09-07, 21:04

Can't argue your assessment of Meaford except to say it was a lot more fun in the old days before the Regs took it over and filled it full of meatheads! On an 'off' weekend (ie when not filled with Milidiots from all over the damned place) you pretty much had the place to yourself...

Jholl72 · #24 09-09-07, 01:43

Thanks guys for the information so far.
The number under the white "2" is 796, although the first number is very hard to read.
The other part questioned is actually part of the "XUK" markings.
The full marking is "XUK-200", I wondered if this was a vehicle number or something( be easy on me, I don't know anything about military vehicles).LOL!
A friend also believes the cap badge to be the Royal Canadian Dragoons.

The pic of the man and wife, is indeed an NCO...I beleive the insignia above the crown is a metal tank device..although I may be wrong.
Perhaps Pratt was an NCO during the war and promoted to Capt. post war and stationed in Petawawa?? Or maybe the pics is of a friend or relative??
It's hard to say, I tried to look at the back of the photo's but he glued them to his trunk.
There was also a second trunk there with his name and an address for Borden on it. I couldn't get pics of it though as the dealer had it piled high with junk.
Regards,
Jeff

Jon Skagfeld · #25 09-09-07, 08:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Wayne McGee
The photo of the happy couple in their yard show a Snr NCO, not a Capt and, an interesting device is sewn on above the crown or, just a peice of schmutz on the photo.
Before I read Mark's caption describing post-war Pet, I was going to say that it seemed familiar as 7th Line in Meaford with Cape Rich(?) on the horizon.
Great find!
Pratt is an old rural name from here in North Central Nova Scotia if that helps.

Cheers

Wayne and Mark: It's eerie that you both posted a reference to the 7th Line at Meaford.

When I first saw that pic, I immediately thought it was 7th Line, with Blue Mountains in the background.

Lord knows, I travelled that route many times this past four months. (Choke...dust...choke...dust)

Here's a trivia question for anyone who did their thing in the Trg Area, along the MSR, up the 13th Line towards Vail's Point...remember The Girl With Blue Eyes?