1943 dated Canadian Mk II as produced by C.L/C.

[Mark K]

A 1943 dated Canadian Mk II as produced by the Canadian Motorlamp Company ( C.L/C. ) steel lot batch number 101. Official production ended on the Canadian Mk II at the end of 1942 but with that said the company did not fulfil it's contractual obligation by years end so a small number of Mk II's had to be completed in early 1943..

It is sporting a 1943 dated Viceroy Manufacturing Company ( VMC ) liner in a size 7-1/2 and has a late war Canadian knotted two tone camouflage net with a 1941 dated shell dressing and medic roundel.

 

Regards Mark

[Custermen]

On 11/4/2021 at 7:32 AM, Mark K said:

A 1943 dated Canadian Mk II

I have always wanted to add a British helmet to my collection and I thought the best chance to find one in good shape would be to purchase a Canadian helmet.  I like the chin strap---what is that called?

 

I never got me one and now I'm down-sizing my collection.  

[Mark K]

8 minutes ago, Custermen said:

I have always wanted to add a British helmet to my collection and I thought the best chance to find one in good shape would be to purchase a Canadian helmet.  I like the chin strap---what is that called?

 

I never got me one and now I'm down-sizing my collection.  

Custerman in regards to the chinstraps on the Canadian Mk II Backstay standards of Windsor Ontario was the sole producer of all Canadian chinstraps that were manufactured for the Mk II in Canada through out the 1940-1943 production run : 
There was only one change instituted on the Canadian produced variation of the Mk II chin-strap. 
The earliest chin-straps differed from the later Canadian pattern by having a blackened brass buckle with two closed centre struts, and only one piece of webbing joining the two sprung pieces. 
After 1940, Canadian chinstraps had two strips of webbing, one of which has a free sewn-
folded over end, the other of which was sewn to the centre strut of a buckle the sprung canvas ends on the sides of the chinstrap were manufactured with non magnetic springs.

1# Early first variation.

2# Second variation

I think it is only fair to mention that there has been a long and on going debate concerning the first variation chinstrap shown above there are some Canadian collectors that believe these to be an early war time (1940) produced chinstrap and that they predate the standard Mk II chinstrap shown below .
And there are other Canadian collectors that believe these to be an early post war chinstrap that predate the OD green chinstraps produced in 1952 or 1953 please take note that the one shown above is manufactured from the same khaki coloured material as the standard Mk II chinstrap and is ink stamped with the C-/l\ mark one must take in to consideration that the C-/l\ stamp was used for some time early post war till approx 1949.
I have two variations of this chinstrap with the closed centre strut and the blackened buckle in my collection the one is a true khaki in colour and bares the C-/l\ mark .
While the other I have was manufactured from webbing and material that is slightly greener in colour and IMO not a true brown Khaki and the material used in the webbing is a slightly looser weave the second example I have bares the Canadian Government acceptance stamp which is with out a doubt post 1949 applied.
So now we come to the question's were there two variations of this chinstrap produced early war and post war, Were these chinstraps pulled from military stores and reissued post war and stamped as such I do find this a possibility as I have a standard war time produced Mk II chinstrap in my collection which bares the Canadian Government acceptance stamp, Or are they an early post war produced strap I am afraid I do not have the answer to these questions and the debate is on going you will have to draw your own conclusions .

 

Regards Mark 
 

 

 

 

[Custermen]

26 minutes ago, Mark K said:

Custerman in regards to the chinstraps on the Canadian Mk II Backstay standards of Windsor Ontario was the sole producer of all Canadian chinstraps that were manufactured for the Mk II in Canada through out the 1940-1943 production run : 
There was only one change instituted on the Canadian produced variation of the Mk II chin-strap. 
The earliest chin-straps differed from the later Canadian pattern by having a blackened brass buckle with two closed centre struts, and only one piece of webbing joining the two sprung pieces. 
After 1940, Canadian chinstraps had two strips of webbing, one of which has a free sewn-
folded over end, the other of which was sewn to the centre strut of a buckle the sprung canvas ends on the sides of the chinstrap were manufactured with non magnetic springs.

TMI !!   

Magnetic springs?!?!?  You have to do some research to know that amount of details.  Excellent.  

 

I am interested in the Canadian troops as they sent their first corps to fight in Italy.  I don't know why the Allies kept them out of the War for so long.  I guess the Dieppe Raid left a negative impression on the commanders.  

Is it correct to say that British troops never wore that type of chinstrap?

 

I thought there might be enough clues in my Dad's photo that would tell me if these were Canadian soldiers.  Not enough detail to ID the patch or see the chinstrap.  See my post under British Photos:  British Crew with German AA Gun.  

[Mark K]

Custerman this type of chinstrap was used early on by most of the commonwealth countries during WW II and or examples with slight variations of the Canadian example posted above ie.. Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, India and can be found on Mk II helmets that were manufactured in Hong Kong pre December of 1941 I will post a few examples down below ..

 

Great Britain

 

Australia

New Zealand

India

Hong Kong

And in regards to the formation patch on your fathers Battle Dress Blouse I have access to British and Canadian reference sights I will see if I can find some matching candidates I wish your photo was a little clearer..

 

Regards Mark

[Custermen]

1 hour ago, Mark K said:

And in regards to the formation patch on your fathers Battle Dress Blouse

BTW, it is my Father's photo he took with his liberated camera but the subject was identified as "British soldiers".