Empty dentist field supply case from 1939-1945 for the Canadian Dental Corps; rectangular green metal luggage with fourteen removable drawers in various sizes with flip down lid; drawer (n) with a solid block inserted with numerous recessed circles used to hold containers; painted faintly on top in…
Empty dentist field supply case from 1939-1945 for the Canadian Dental Corps; rectangular green metal luggage with fourteen removable drawers in various sizes with flip down lid; drawer (n) with a solid block inserted with numerous recessed circles used to hold containers; painted faintly on top in white 'C. D. C. A. 553' and a red cross in a white circle on one side; double sets of brass clamp buckle closures on top and sides and retractable brass handles on sides and D-ring style brass bail handles on drawers; fold down lid is hinged to case; thick brown leather strap on top; corners with brass protective covers.
Number Of Parts
15
Part Names
a - case
b - p - drawers
Provenance
Owned by donor's grandfather, Bernard Strong, a quartermaster of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
This style of heavy duty luggage was transformed and outfitted with custom lift-out trays and drawers by the military into various equipment trunks including footlockers.
McBrine Luggage Company Limited founded by Louis McBrine, born Feb. 26, 1866, as a Canadian Manufacturer of valises, luggage and trunks.
Louis McBrine was a "valise manufacturer" circa 1901. Circa 1911 he was involved in manufacturing trunks. He and his partner, W. G. Cleghorn, founded McBrine Luggage, in Berlin, Ontario (Kitchener, Ont.) which from 1905 until into the 1960s was one of the world's largest luggage manufacturing businesses. The company was still making briefcases circa 1965.
The Canadian Military General Order No 63 was issued on 13 May 1915, authorizing the Canadian Army Dental Corps (CADC) as a separate corps. When the Army, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Canadian Air Force were merged in 1968 to form the Canadian Forces, the Royal Canadian Dental Corps and Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps were deactivated and merged with their Naval and Air Force counterparts to form the Dental Branch and the Canadian Forces Medical Service of the Canadian Forces Health Services Group (CF H Svcs Gp). The rifle green beret was adopted as the CF standard.
An announcement dated 9 October 2013 revived the title Royal Canadian Dental Corps for the dental services branch of the Canadian armed forces.