# Can anyone identify these soldier's kit? (picture from Oka Crisis)



## Warnipple (10 Feb 2014)

Hey guys this is the famous picture of the Oka Crisis (which everyone should've seen at some point), as well as some other pictures during that time for reference.

















I'm wondering about this soldier's kit.

It looks (in the first two pictures) like they are wearing a vietnam era M1 Helmet. Can someone identify the name of the cover used for it?

It also looks like they are wearing some sort of pouch over the left shoulder. What is that?

And I'm assuming he's wearing 1982 pattern webbing or some sort of variant of the webbing but what is that broad piece on his shoulders? Looks like a shoulder pad from a flak jacket maybe? But a flak jacket would be over the entire body and that piece is clearly underneath the webbing but doesn't show a flak jacket underneath it (as seen in the third picture).

If someone could identify the gear they are wearing, that would be great!


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## brihard (10 Feb 2014)

The item on the left shoulder is a field dressing for wounds. And yes- he is wearing a frag vest and it is above his clothing just under the webbing. You must  note the broad Velcro flap closure right down the centre of his chest- you can see some Velcro fuzz near the top.


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## Warnipple (10 Feb 2014)

Do you know the name of the vest in particular?

I can only find CADPAT style flak vests online.


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## brihard (10 Feb 2014)

Warnipple said:
			
		

> Do you know the name of the vest in particular?
> 
> I can only find CADPAT style flak vests online.



Please, please tell me you aren't trying to assemble an Oka themed airsoft setup.


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## Halifax Tar (10 Feb 2014)

Slight derail, in the last pic it looks like that poor soldier is about to recieve a flurry to the face.  

Kudos to the guys for what looks like them keeping their cool.


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## vonGarvin (10 Feb 2014)

:warstory:
That bottom photo is of my platoon when I was a MCpl in 2 RCR.  

That shot is at the start of the "fisticuffs", and the soldier, once he got his arm free, gave back better than what he got.  The instigator in this case, the civilian, chose that guy because he was by far the biggest in our platoon.

Those flak jackets were issued to us during work up for deployment to Quebec.  We initially had those softer live vest looking things that were Vietnam era.


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## Nfld Sapper (10 Feb 2014)

And those vests are still issued when needed in Gagetown....


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## Bzzliteyr (10 Feb 2014)

We also deployed to Bosnia in 93 with those same vests so if you are looking to replicate or find a copy of one you should look at imagery from that era.


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## XMP (10 Feb 2014)

A few images and descriptions of the helmets, body armor and web equipment can be found here:

http://mpmuseum.org/securhelmet.html


http://mpmuseum.org/securequip2.html


http://mpmuseum.org/securarmor.html


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## Warnipple (10 Feb 2014)

XMP said:
			
		

> A few images and descriptions of the helmets, body armor and web equipment can be found here:
> 
> http://mpmuseum.org/securhelmet.html
> 
> ...



Amazing, thank you.


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## Old Sweat (10 Feb 2014)

Re the helmets, as I understand it (no guarantee what follows is 100% correct) there was serious consideration to have all the Allies adopt the US helmet for the upcoming invasion of Normandy and the subsequent campaign. Canada purchased 100,000 helmets, but the Brits touted their new helmet and the change did not happen. These helmets were called "Helmets, UN" in the fifties and issued for peacekeeping missions. Finally in 1960 we turned in our old tin hats and drew the US helmets. (We also almost adopted the Garand, but that is another issue.)

For parachuting we had used the Brit pattern airborne helmet until 1960. The difference between the two US helmets was only the chin strap and suspension as I recall.


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## Loachman (10 Feb 2014)

XMP said:
			
		

> A few images and descriptions of the helmets, body armor and web equipment can be found here:
> 
> http://mpmuseum.org/securhelmet.html



"The fleur de lys pattern is seen on many of these covers and is as yet unexplained". Somewhere, an Officers' Mess is short some table cloths.


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## Franko (11 Feb 2014)

Technoviking said:
			
		

> :warstory:
> That bottom photo is of my platoon when I was a MCpl in 2 RCR.
> 
> That shot is at the start of the "fisticuffs", and the soldier, once he got his arm free, gave back better than what he got.  The instigator in this case, the civilian, chose that guy because he was by far the biggest in our platoon.
> ...



I remember that like it was yesterday. How quickly they fled once IRU was spooled up.


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