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    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress

    Wgrenadier
    Wgrenadier
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    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Empty Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress

    Post by Wgrenadier Tue Dec 24, 2013 1:29 am

    Hi Guys,

    I just finished the following impression and thought that I would post it here...

    CANADA 1939
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Dsc07710

    Canada’s armed forces in the interwar period consisted of the Permanent Active Militia (known as the Permanent Force) and Non-Permanent Active Militia. Both were greatly reduced after the Great War and seriously neglected throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s. The militia found itself severely underfunded and left with only a small amount of military equipment not sold off as surplus following the Great War. This all changed with the outbreak of war in September of 1939, when many militia units were mobilized as part of the Canadian Active Service Force (the equivalent of the 1914 Canadian Expeditionary Force).

    This Regular of Canada’s premier unit of the Permanent Force, the Royal Canadian Regiment, prepares for King George VI’s Royal Visit to London, Ontario in June. He wears the lighter Canadian summer dress uniform and dress cap along with a set of the newer Pattern 1925 webbing that was issued in limited quantities to some Canadian militia regiments.

    1) ‘Caps, Forage, Drab’; Nearly Identical to the Model 1905 British Service Dress Cap, the Canadian forage cap was largely replaced by the new field service cap starting in 1939. It was constructed of the same drab wool used on the service dress tunic and featured a stiff flat top, narrow brown leather chinstrap mounted with brass buttons, two pairs of brass grommets on either side for ventilation and a cap badge mounted on the front (here the Royal Canadian Regiment’s badge featuring Queen Victoria’s monogram and crown).

    2) Canadian Pattern Summer Service Dress Jacket; Very similar to the 1st pattern Khaki Drill jacket worn by British troops in the Great War, the Canadian pattern was made of cotton twill in a distinctive greenish shade of khaki. These jackets were intended to be worn during the summer months in Canada and were largely replaced by battledress in the early years of the war. Features include a stand-and-fall collar, patrol pattern back, pointed cuffs, brass buttons mounted on split rings, brass belt hooks and two breast patch pockets with pointed flaps.

    3) Pattern 1925 web equipment (termed pattern 1919 in Canada); Canada’s militia sought to replace its Great War stocks of Pattern 1908 webbing as early as 1924 with limited domestic webbing production. In 1927, the militia placed an order for a small number of the most current Mills pattern. These new sets went to the regulars of the Permanent Active Militia, leaving the non-permanent force with the old Pattern 1908 webbing until the widespread issue of Canadian-made Pattern 1937 webbing in 1940.

    4) Canadian Pattern Summer Service Dress Trousers; Constructed of the same distinctive greenish khaki as the summer service dress jacket, these trousers were typically worn without gaiters or leggings and featured metal buttons as well as belt loops for the use with a Canadian army issue brown leather trouser belt.

    5) Hobnailed 'Ammunition boots'.

    6) Bayonet No.1 Mk.1; the seventeen-inch 1907 pattern bayonet of the Great War was given new nomenclature by the Second World War.

    7) SMLE rifle No.1 Mk.III*



    It took me years to find a Canadian-made summer uniform, one surplus store owner reminded me of Canada's geographical location when I asked about  


    The following pictures demonstrate the widespread usage of this uniform in the late 1930's and early 1940's...

    In the Militia (The Algonquin Regiment, 1941)
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Algonq10

    In the Cavalry (The Fort Garry Horse)
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Carber10

    In the Artillery (RCA 1942)
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Canadi11

    In the Provost Corps
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Canadi12

    In the Armoured Regiments (The Essex Regiment, Tank)
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Below_10

    With trousers (Nova Scotia, 1941)
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Csd_cl10

    With shorts (Royal Rifles of Canada, 1941)
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress George10

    With a kilt (Nova Scotia, 1941)
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Csd_cl11

    With steel helmets
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Wwii_p10
    edstorey
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    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Empty Impression

    Post by edstorey Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:16 am

    Nice impression. As per your last bw image, check your rifle sling, it is on the wrong way - the brass end-caps are towards the rifle.
    edstorey
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    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Empty Impression

    Post by edstorey Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:18 am

    Also meant to mention that your trousers are too long and require alteration.
    Wgrenadier
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    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Empty Re: Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress

    Post by Wgrenadier Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:22 am

    Thank you Ed! That means a great deal to me coming from an authority on the subject like yourself. I also realized after I took the photo that the pants were too long and required hemming for a smarter look.

    Great spot on the sling...you attention to detail is amazing!
    zekehp
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    Post by zekehp Thu Dec 26, 2013 1:54 pm

    Very nice Michael. How long did it take to complete?
    mk1rceme
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    Post by mk1rceme Thu Dec 26, 2013 2:55 pm

    Very nice! I recently found a nice post-war Kings Own Calgary Regiment summer service uniform at a local auction. Turns out that the owner was my Mothers elementary school teacher.


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    Wgrenadier
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    Post by Wgrenadier Thu Dec 26, 2013 5:17 pm

    Thanks for the nice words guys!

    It took me about five or six years to finish it with the tunic. I held out for a good size and reasonable price.

    Nice find on the uniform dale! Is it open-collared? Is it made of cotton?
    mk1rceme
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    Post by mk1rceme Thu Dec 26, 2013 9:54 pm

    Oh, my mistake. It is a tropical worsted uniform...or T-Dub as it was called. Open collar. Dated 1951. Similar to the wartime cut, with a few differences. Material was a lot lighter than khaki drill.


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    Wgrenadier
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    Post by Wgrenadier Mon Feb 10, 2014 7:38 pm

    edstorey wrote:Nice impression.  As per your last bw image, check your rifle sling, it is on the wrong way - the brass end-caps are towards the rifle.

    Hey Ed,

    It looks like I wasn't the only one to make that mistake...lol

    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Be-rea10
    edstorey
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    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress Empty Rifle Sling

    Post by edstorey Tue Feb 11, 2014 10:33 am

    That is why primary source documents are always the best.
    Wgrenadier
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    Post by Wgrenadier Tue Feb 11, 2014 11:13 am

    Very true Ed, primary sources are always the best reference.

    I didn't use this poster as a source originally (I just noticed it after the fact).
    sarge5020
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    Post by sarge5020 Sun Feb 16, 2014 4:06 am

    Great photos. Looks like the Essex regiment (Tank) were the only ones wearing collar badges with this form of dress.

    Cheers,
    John
    Wgrenadier
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    Post by Wgrenadier Mon Feb 17, 2014 7:51 am

    Hey John,

    Nice spot! I hadn't noticed that until you pointed it out...

    Wgrenadier
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    Post by Wgrenadier Fri Sep 12, 2014 9:38 pm

    Just for reference, I want to post some pictures of the maker details I have come across for these Canadian Summer Service Dress Jackets...

    'S.&G. CLOTHING CO. LTD. - 1940 - MONTREAL, QUE.'
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress _s_g_c10

    'THE T. EATON CO. LTD. - 1941 - SAINT JOHN, N.B.'
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress _the_t10

    'THE T. EATON CO. LTD. - 1941 - MONTREAL FACTORY'
    Royal Canadian Regiment Impression (circa 1939) and Canadian Summer Service Dress _the_t11
    Wgrenadier
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    Post by Wgrenadier Fri Feb 20, 2015 11:32 am

    Here's a nice (albeit pricey) Canadian Pattern Summer Service Dress Jacket from France, if anyone is interested...

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vareuse-KD-Pattern-1903-Canada-/261755338154?pt=FR_JG_Collections_Militaria_Uniformes&hash=item3cf1d57daa

    Sponsored content


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