Eric Davies was born and raised in Prince George. In 1939, at the age of 18, he was hired to work on Hugh Pattinson's survey crew in the Kechika River area of northern British Columbia.
By 1939 it was apparent that there was a strong possibility of a world war with Germany and its allies. If there was a war the United States would want a land connection to Alaska. The provincial Surveyor-General, F.C. Green, had been an advocate for a highway to Alaska for many years. He believed that a route from the existing road to Summit Lake, north of Prince George, along the Rocky Mountain Trench to some place near the Yukon Boundary, and then westward was the best choice for traveling through British Columbia. In 1939 he hired two veteran surveyors to make a topographical survey of part of the route. Frank Swannell, one of the province's best topographical surveyors, worked from the Finlay River at its junction with the Ingenika River (previous surveys had been made from Summit Lake to this location) to Sifton Pass. Hugh Pattinson worked on the section north of Sifton Pass down the Ketchika River. Another veteran surveyor, Philip Monckton, conducted surveys in the Liard River area.
At the same time the Surveyor-General hired some surveyors to conduct photo-topographical surveys of the area; the Highways Department had a crew working on the upper Finlay, and the Forest Service was doing aerial photography.
Davies' interview provides an interesting account of working on a survey crew. The famous packer, Skook Davidson, was a member of their crew, and Eric has many interesting recollections about him. From Eric's interview it is apparent that during the summer of 1939 Skook first saw the area that would become his Diamond J Ranch. Pattinson wintered horses in the Kechika in preparation for continuing his survey during the 1940 field season, so this provided Skook with some income while starting his ranch in the fall of 1939.
The interview with Eric Davies, done by Jay Sherwood in September 2009 at Eric's home in Langley, is an interesting and informative account of working on a survey crew in an important year.
