|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
#1
|
||||
|
||||
Eskimo's, Polar Bears and Lemmings.
In 1944-45 three cold weather exercises were held in parts of northern Canada to develop winter warfare doctrine and test equipment and uniforms. Exercise Eskimo, the best know of the three, was held in the dry cold conditions of northern Saskatchewan, while lesser know Exercise Polar Bear was held in northern British Columbia to test in cold wet conditions. The final exercise was a small contingent of less than 20 personnel who specifically tested vehicles on the barrens north of Churchill Manitoba.
Exercise Eskimo personnel were identified by a circular formation patch, embroidered in white on a blue field. The desing included an igloo on a field of snow with a plume of smoke drifting skyward. In the upper right quadrant, the North Star, with an embroidered border in the upper half of the circle. Identified as Ex Eskimo, it is likely that both of the larger exercises were issued the tasking patch.
__________________
Res ipsa loquitur |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
....and MUSK OX; Oh my!!
Hi Bill
No idea if POLAR BEAR or LEMMING had a patch but the slightly later Ex MUSK OX did: I used to have one about 10 years ago but I was less interested in keeping cloth then than I am now!! pic and additional pics/info on this Forum: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/foru...and-tf-frigid/ regards Darrell
__________________
"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Last edited by Darrell; 10-01-16 at 06:24 AM. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Operation vs Exercise
Those are both nice patches, but they represent Exercises and not Operations. Exercises are training events were as Operations are for deployments so in these two cases you have insignia from Exercise Musk Ox and Exercise Eskimo.
|
#4
|
||||
|
||||
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.
__________________
Res ipsa loquitur |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
Hi Bill
Sorry about that. I didn't mean to steal your thunder! Good posts though and thanks. Hi Ed Not my photo and not my captions on it. I am fully aware of the difference between an Op and an Ex. That is why i said "EX" in my post. Thank you for pointing it out in this thread though. You can join that Forum and let them know if you like. regards Darrell
__________________
"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
USMilitaria Forum
I do belong to that one as well. The Americans considered those exercises to be Operations as they were held outside of the Continental US and they were held in the pre-NATO period before the terminology was standardized.
|
|
|