[Bill A]

Hi Darrell, You jumped ahead of me. I was going to post the Ex Musk Ox patch separately. The following year, in 1946, the Canadian army and the RCAF tested vehicles, equipment and techniques in a trek across the Arctic. The Musk Ox group was composed of several specially developed snow machines and went cross country. The establishment was listed as 48 officers and men plus several observers. The trek started in Churchill Manitoba, heading north and west then eventually southwards, ending in Edmonton Alberta. In addition there were supporting contingents, numbering approx 225 personnel at various locations. The trek was resupplied by the RCAF. It was a "first" in many ways in 1946. At one point the convoy met up with the RCMPV St Roch, having Musk Ox represent all three elements. There would be follow up exercises including the tactical Exercise Sweetbriar in 1950. In that scheme an incursion along the Alaska Highway into the Yukon was met and "repulsed" by a combined US/Canadian force. The Canadian force included 1 Bn PPCLI. An airborne contingent of the PPCLI bn made a jump in extreme cold conditions. A special cloth arc was worn by the US force and was supplied, at least as a souvenir for the Canadians.