Double Story Medium Girder Bridge


A British design, it replaced the Bailey bridge in the early 1970s for front line service in the Canadian Army. The bridge was assembled on rollers on one side of a river by 20 to 40 soldiers. It typically taking a few hours to do a build. It was then pushed across the river, jacked down and opened for traffic. It was faster to build than a Bailey but not as versatile. Once a Bailey, an ATCO, or a permanent bridge was built alongside, it was dismantled and shipped forward for another build.    

M38Al (Jeep).  ¼ ton 4x4 light truck of which the 6th had three. Primarily used by the unit officers and reconnaissance parties.    

Cargo Utility Cargo Vehicle (5/4 Ton). A 4x4 pickup truck that replaced the Korean war vintage ¾ ton in the late 1970s. It did not have the robustness or cross-country performance of its predecessor. But it was faster on the highway. The 6th had one on its strength.    

2 ½ Ton Medium Logistical Vehicle Wheeled (MLVW) 6x6 medium truck of which the 6th had three. An upgraded version of the American M35 2 ½ ton truck with over 200 changes made to the original American design.    

License Plates. Starting in the early 1970s the provincial plates formerly issued to Canadian Forces vehicles were replaced with CANADA plates.   

Weapons. The soldiers are armed with a mixture of the ClAl version of the Fabrique Nationale semi-automatic assault rifle and Sterling Cl submachine guns and pistols.    

Hot Meals. During non-tactical field training and exercises meals are prepared in the base kitchen and taken to the field in vehicles. The meals arrive in thermos containers (hayboxes), wooden boxes and coffee urns. During tactical exercises troops are issued ration packs, which they prepare themselves.