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-   -   Cold Signs (Ex Eskimo, Ex Musk Ox, Ex Sweetbriar) (https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56757)

Bill A 18-09-16 11:54 AM

Cold Signs (Ex Eskimo, Ex Musk Ox, Ex Sweetbriar)
 
My new article about the formation signs worn on the winter exercises Eskimo, Musk Ox and Sweetbriar can be found here: https://servicepub.wordpress.com/201...hes-1944-1950/

3battalion 23-09-16 11:58 PM

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Great Article Bill.

Paul

Peter Brydon 04-10-16 05:56 PM

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Sorry to go off at a slight tangent, one of the first military books I ever owned was "The Wonder Book of the Army" ( published 1954 ) and that must have been almost 60 years ago.

For some reason I always remember the attached photo of Canadian soldiers and had no idea what the sign saying "Sweetbriar was never like this "was all about.


At least thanks to this thread I now have an idea of what Sweetbriar was.

P.B.

Bill A 04-10-16 08:37 PM

Thanks Peter. Kind of odd that it would come up in the context of the Korean deployment.

ddaydodger 05-10-16 03:53 PM

Sweetbriar was never like this.
 
The exercise in the north was nothing like the war in Korea, hence the reference; (here are the lyrics to the song; 1 version at least). It was still taught to PPCLI recruits up to the late 80s at least.

SWEET BRIAR

Dear Mother, Dear father, this army's the place..
The things that go on are a F***ing disgrace!
There's Captains and Looies, and Warrants Class 2;
With their hands in their pockets...and frig all to do!

Chorus

Look away, he's alive
Sweet Briar was never like this,
Lah di da, take a piss.
Sweet Briar was never like this...

In the First Battalion, they've all got Jump Boots.
they wear tailored trousers, that really look zoot!
They wear Cherry Berets, of which they're quite proud!
And big ******* mouths talking too ******* loud!

Chorus

In Second Battalion, they have NCO's
Where they got their hooks from, Christ only knows!
They rant, and they rave, and they scream, and they shout!
And its all over things, they know frig all about!

Chorus

Now up on Sweet Briar, we played lots of games,
Built great ******* snowmen, got pushed out of planes,
And when we were frozen, near half to death...
We packed up our things and we ******* well left...

Chorus

A young Canuck soldier on Tokyo leave,
Was stopped by a Provost who said, pardon me!
There's mud on your trousers and blood on your sleeves!
I think I will cancel your R&R leave.

Chorus

Dear Provost, Dear Provost, the Army's disgrace,
I've come from Korea, one hell of a place,
Where the mountains are rugged,
And a Man is a Man!,
Who don't hide from the bullets, Way back in Japan!

Chorus

Dear Meathead, Meathead!
If you're half a man,
You'll take down that armband, and come to Pusan!
Where the whiz-bangs are flying and comforts are few;
And good men are dying for BASTARDS like you!

zorgon 16-03-18 10:27 PM

Exercise MUSK-OX
 
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There's a great, 1 hour NFB video (part of Canada Carries On series) done about the 1946 Exercise MUSK-OX here:

https://vimeo.com/167910734

I found it interesting how they snagged the gliders and also, how after slogging all around the artic, they had to finish the last few hundred miles by hauling the snowmobiles by train as the dust from the Alaska Highway was destroying the engines. Shades of tanks in Iraq!

Attached is a commemorative patch made by Crest Craft for the event too.

zorgon 23-10-18 04:42 PM

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Below is another commemorative patch made for Exercise Muskox. It's basically identical to the one in the previous post but in Bullion. It is unmarked on the back but almost certainly manufactured by Crest Craft and perhaps even made by Gus himself as it is near perfect. The 2nd image shows the detail and quality of the thread work. Bullion patches are uncommon from Crest Craft and I have to say, this is the nicest example I have seen from the Company.

Bill A 23-10-18 08:37 PM

Thanks for posting those. There are a couple more patches for Musk Ox that don't see the light of day.

Mike Jackson 24-10-18 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill A (Post 375744)
My new article about the formation signs worn on the winter exercises Eskimo, Musk Ox and Sweetbriar can be found here: https://servicepub.wordpress.com/201...hes-1944-1950/

Excellent! Many thanks. Mike

Tanker Mike 24-10-18 04:09 PM

Bill, you mentioned that not all the Canadians wore the US ARTIC CANADA arc, when they did wear the arc did they have one or both shoulders?

Mike

Bill A 24-10-18 05:31 PM

Not sure there are answers to all those questions. The images of the arc in wear show only the right shoulder. Both images I have seen of the title in wear were during the Ex. One was in wear on the parka of a senior Cdn officer, while the other iirc, was in wear by an nco. There is no evidence the PPCLI, RCHA wore the title.


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