"Tools of the Trade"

used by the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion

Outfit - this is what the average parachutist wore.

Note the absence of a "reserve" parachute!  Outside of the fact there was nothing we could do if it failed to open, it was far superior to the American 'chute with its reserve, as it had a gentle opening shock and the centrally located button on the jumper's chest only required a quarter turn clockwise and a slap to cause the straps to fall away leaving you free in a split second. This eliminated being dragged to injury or death as the American one threatened, due to three snaps that had to be undone to free oneself, no easy matter most of the time.

The model is wearing a jump-smock over his battle-dress and from the picture you can see bulges below the sten gun. These bulges comprise basic pouches and small pack.  Upon landing the 'chutist removed the smock and donned the pouches and back-pack properly.

The Fairburn-Sykes dagger - was meant to be stowed in one's boot top and was designed specifically for special troops.
(i.e Commandos, SAS and Paras).

This is the 28.5 X 28.5 inch silk escape map which was issued to personnel that took part in the D Day landing.

We were instructed to secret it somewhere on our personal clothing in the event we became separated from the main body of the Battalion. I chose the collar of my tunic.

Two magnetic buttons were also issued and were to be sewn in inconspicuous places on our uniform, I won’t mention where I sewed one of the two buttons. The two combined made up a compass.

(The picture of the escape map, compliments of Jan de Vries recipient of the Légion d'Honneur.).

"And he is off"

The first two photos show a "para" leaving a Whitley A/C through a funnel shaped hole in the bomb bay door. Provisions were made for us to parachute from Albemarles, Halifaxes and Stirlings in this fashion.

In contrast, the third and fourth pictures shows how we left the American style A/C. The Americans called it a C-47 and the British referred to it as a Dakota.

Riding the kit bag down.

The average weight was from 70 to 100 pounds. Initially it was strapped to our right or left leg and once our parachute opened, a pull on a strap  withdrew pins holding the kitbag to our leg and it was then lowered to the end of a rope so we wouldn't land with it attached. 

If it could not be released, it was a guaranteed broken leg!

Initially paratroops were dropped and required to run to a container that had their weapons, ammunition and additional ordnance. It was almost suicide for the paras to reach the containers because all the enemy had to do was zero in on the container and wait for us to approach it.

Realizing this, a kit bag was modified so that each para was able to carry his own weapons and ammo and spare ordnance into combat thus giving him a better chance of survival.

My somewhat inexpert attempt to draw the details of the kit bag we jumped with.

What the well dressed paratrooper wore. Not much to say except it was extremely well made, durable and well thought out in design.

Large pockets could hold a multitude of things. Note the buttons at the lower front of this jacket. They receive the tail piece shown in the next photo.

Here looking at the back of the jump smock you can see the tail piece that is drawn up between the legs and snapped into the buttons mentioned at the front. The idea being to keep the jump smock from being blown over one's head when leaving a plane and it also keeps the jacket in place if one should slide forward or backward on the ground.