Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

MILITARY WEB BELT, ENGINEERS

Date Range From

1954

Date Range To

1957

Materials

CANVAS, BRASS

No. Pieces

1

Height

2.2

Length

95.9

Width

8.2

Description

CANVAS GREEN BELT WITH BRASS CLASP. CLASP READS, “ROYAL CANADIAN ENGINEERS”. OUTSIDE OF BELT IS RUBBERIZED. VARIOUS STAINS INSIDE BELT. WRITING ON BACK READS, “M478286 C.R.S.”. ADJUSTABLE BY REPOSITIONING THE HOOKS THAT WRAP AROUND INSIDE BELT.

Subjects

CLOTHING-ACCESSORY

Historical Association

MILITARY

History

CARLTON (CARLY) ROSS STEWART JOINED THE 33RD FIELD PARK SQUADRON ROYAL CANADIAN ENGINEERS (RESERVE) IN 1954. STEWART WAS ISSUED A “BATTLE DRESS” UNIFORM WITH BOOTS, CAP, PUTTIES AND OTHER ARTICLES INCLUDING THE BELT WITH THE SERIAL NUMBER “M478286 C.R.S.”. THE ‘M’ IN THE NUMBER INDICATED ALBERTA. AT THE TIME OF DONATION STEWART SAID, “LATER A NEW BELT BUCKLE/CLASP WAS ISSUED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE SQUADRON COMMEMORATING OR INDICATING QUEEN ELIZABETH II ON IT (THIS ONE). A FEW OF WE YOUNGER FELLOWS GROUND OR POLISHED OFF THE CENTRE CIRCULAR PART OF THE BRASS CLASP WHICH HAD THE QUEEN’S INSIGNIA ON IT. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO POLISH IT TO A HIGH DEGREE OF LUSTER. WE DID NOT MEAN ANY DISRESPECT OF THE QUEEN OR MILITARY DRESS, WE JUST THOUGHT IT LOOKED MUCH SHARPER. ANYWAYS, WE WERE TOLD SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY OUR MILITARY SUPERIORS THAT WE HAD DEFACED GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AND WE COULD BE CHARGED. NOTHING BECAME OF THE SITUATION. UPON MY NORMAL DISCHARGE FROM THE SQUADRON IN LATE 1957, I HAD TO TURN IN MY UNIFORM AND BOOTS TO THE QUARTERMASTER STORES. WE WERE ALLOWED TO KEEP ONLY OUR WEB BELT AND BRASS BUCKLE.” IN THE 1960S THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT CUT BACK ON MILITARY UNITS, THE 33RD FIELD PARK SQUADRON ROYAL CANADIAN ENGINEERS WAS ONE OF THE LOCAL CUTBACKS. THE 33RD HAD AN ENROLLMENT OF OVER 400+ RESERVE MEN IN THE MID 1950S. IT HAD BEEN HEADQUARTERED AT THE SW CORNER OF 5TH AVENUE AT MAYOR MAGRATH DRIVE NORTH IN THE OLD AIRPORT HANGER AND OTHER BUILDINGS OF THE PRE-1939 LETHBRIDGE AIRFIELD. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON STEWART'S MILITIA ACTIVITIES AND MEMORIES, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20110007000

Acquisition Date

2010-02

Collection

Museum

Less detail