These photographs were taken by an unknown photographer from Department of National Deference Public Relations (Pacific Command) during the 1945 Polar Bear Exercise. This exercise was held in northern British Columbia in February and March 1945, using some 1,150 soldiers of the 6th Division. The intent of the exercise was to test the effects of "wet cold" conditions on military men and material. The scenario for the Polar Bear Exercise was that: "Action will be based on reports of a Japanese force having been landed at Bella Coola from submarines, having rendered useless RCAF installations at Bella Bella, and giving positive indication that this force is composed in great part of construction personnel with a comparatively small protective element; the assumption being that it will try to construct a useable road from Bella Coola to permit movement inland of a larger fighting force to follow at some later date". The exercise itself was conducted in three overlapping phases. Between 12 February and 5 March the force moved from Prince George to Anahim Lake, chiefly using an array of motor transport but with some pack horses. The second phase ran from 4 March to early April. This was a series of marches from Anahim Lake to Bella Coola and return; a secondary force of 19 men split off from the main body and, travelling by snowmobile and snowshoe, traversed the Rainbow Mountains to Bella Coola; on the return march this detachment was increased to 120 men and dubbed "Y" Force. The third phase was removal of all troops by vehicle from Anahim Lake to Williams Lake. These photographs are believed to document the return from Bella Coola.
Bella Coola, BC
45 Archival description results for Bella Coola, BC
Photograph depicts a mountainous area between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake.
Photograph depicts a row of utility poles between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts the unloading of a jeep from a CMP truck between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts the unloading of a jeep from a CMP truck between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a two soldiers in their undershirts by their tent, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise. Morning coffee supplies sit on a stump nearby. One of the soldiers is seated, trying on his snowshoes.
Photograph depicts a two soldiers in their undershirts by their tent, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise. Morning coffee supplies sit on a stump nearby. One of the soldiers is seated, trying on his snowshoes.
Photograph depicts a tethered pack horses in makeshift log stalls between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a tethered pack horse between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a large number of soldiers bearing packs walking in a line through a rancher's field, possibly somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a soldiers with packs walking over a wooden log bridge, possibly somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts soldiers walking along road with children watching nearby, possibly somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts soldiers unloading an American military jeep from a military truck, possibly somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts soldiers trekking uphill with pack horses in mountainous terrain between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts soldiers trekking uphill in mountainous terrain between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts soldiers trekking through mountainous terrain between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a line of soldiers hiking up switchbacks on a steep rocky slope between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a line of soldiers hiking up switchbacks on a steep rocky slope between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a soldiers transferring water from military truck water bag to a large water bag on the ground, possibly somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a line of soldiers hiking up switchbacks on a steep rocky slope between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a line of soldiers hiking up switchbacks on a steep rocky slope between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a number of soldiers wearing packs near a military truck, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a solider mending his uniform likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a soldier cooking over a campfire, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a three mounted soldiers with a pack horse in front of a stone building, possibly somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise. Another man and a woman stand in the background near a truck and a flagpole.
Photograph depicts a narrow mountain gorge between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts two military vehicles traversing a rough dirt road between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts two military vehicles traversing a rough dirt road between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise. The vehicle at the back of the convoy is marked with a notice: "CAUTION - RIGHT HAND DRIVE - NO SIGNALS".
Photograph depicts two military vehicles traversing a rough dirt road between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a military chaplain standing by a makeshift altar with a cabin and group of soldiers in background, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a second military chaplain reading by a makeshift tree stump altar, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a military chaplain reading by a makeshift altar with the Union Jack flag, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a military chaplain reading by a makeshift altar to a large group of soldiers, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a military chaplain reading by a makeshift altar to a large group of soldiers, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a military chaplain reading by a makeshift altar to a large group of soldiers, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a military chaplain reading by a makeshift altar to a large group of soldiers, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a military chaplain reading by a makeshift altar to a large group of soldiers, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a military chaplain reading by a makeshift altar to a large group of soldiers, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a military chaplain reading by a makeshift altar to a large group of soldiers, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a military chaplain reading by a makeshift altar to a large group of soldiers, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a man (possibly a soldier out of uniform) smoking a cigarette by a vehicle, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a three military tent buildings, possibly somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise. One of the buildings has a "K of C" (Knights of Columbus) sign on it.
Photograph depicts a group of soldiers seated on the ground with their shoes off and caring for their feet, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a group of seated soldiers, relaxing with their packs nearby, likely somewhere between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.
Photograph depicts a dirt road between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake utilized for transport during the WWII Polar Bear training exercise.