DaleC
Contributor
On May 8th, while conducting an observation dive for the Cultus Lake Project (link in my Sig line), I discovered a wreck site of WWII era military equipment in the vicinity of Jade Bay. On May 16th I returned to the site and despite 5-8' vis. verified it as the remains of MkIII folding boat equipment (FBE), a vehicle used during the war for temporary bridging. The wreckage consists of two boats, 20' long, aprox. 7' wide, connected by four loadbearing girders also aprox. 20' long and lies upside down on the lake bed. Nearby I have also located 4-5 Bailey bridge panels.
Here is a model image of exactly what I've found:
Image from: henkofholland mastermodelling military vehicles scale 1/72-1/76
The equipment being used to create a bridge and schematics of the boat:
Image from: Ferrea Mole Forum -
Image from: Ferrea Mole Forum -
The boats themselves are in relatively good condition with much of the wood and canvas intact and identification lettering still ledgible on the sides. The bows and sterns however are sprung.
I have been doing some (ongoing) research into determining when these boats would have sunk (retired sappers, army divers and others via the military engineering museum in Chilliwack) but so far no one can recall such an event. On Thursday I plan to revisit the site and record the ID info from the boats so that I can begin an archival search via records in Gagetown. So far this is what I have uncovered:
Cultus lake has a long history as a training area for army bridging and rafting exercises dating back to 1942. Though most people think of the bridging area as being on the west side of the lake, the original training area was in the vicinity of Entrance bay. Many vehicles and other pieces of equipment were sunk over the years but in the opinion of those so far interviewed something of this size (and the Bailey bridge panels) would have warrented recovery due to their cost.
MkIII FBE's were plywood folding boats covered with canvas that took 12 men to open. They were connected by load bearing girders that could then be covered by a roadbed and used to create medium weight bridges or to ferry vehicles or equipment across water gaps. They were used in Europe (and other theaters) during WWII and afterwards for training. Older sappers interviewed remember seeing FBE's on shore at Cultus during the 1950's but cannot recall if they were still being actively used.
Finally, as luck would have it, no pictures yet. My camera flooded prior and a borrowed camera also malfunctioned on the 16th. Hopefully, I will dive with someone soon who has better skills than I in the photography department.
I'm not disclosing the exact location until I do a better survey of the site, as I feel any artifacts should go to the CFB military historical society, but if anyone is genuinely interested in diving the site to photo/video record it they can PM me and I'll meet up or guide them to it. Once I'm sure there's nothing to strip I'll give up the location.
I will update this thread when I gain more info.
Here is a model image of exactly what I've found:
Image from: henkofholland mastermodelling military vehicles scale 1/72-1/76
The equipment being used to create a bridge and schematics of the boat:
Image from: Ferrea Mole Forum -
Image from: Ferrea Mole Forum -
The boats themselves are in relatively good condition with much of the wood and canvas intact and identification lettering still ledgible on the sides. The bows and sterns however are sprung.
I have been doing some (ongoing) research into determining when these boats would have sunk (retired sappers, army divers and others via the military engineering museum in Chilliwack) but so far no one can recall such an event. On Thursday I plan to revisit the site and record the ID info from the boats so that I can begin an archival search via records in Gagetown. So far this is what I have uncovered:
Cultus lake has a long history as a training area for army bridging and rafting exercises dating back to 1942. Though most people think of the bridging area as being on the west side of the lake, the original training area was in the vicinity of Entrance bay. Many vehicles and other pieces of equipment were sunk over the years but in the opinion of those so far interviewed something of this size (and the Bailey bridge panels) would have warrented recovery due to their cost.
MkIII FBE's were plywood folding boats covered with canvas that took 12 men to open. They were connected by load bearing girders that could then be covered by a roadbed and used to create medium weight bridges or to ferry vehicles or equipment across water gaps. They were used in Europe (and other theaters) during WWII and afterwards for training. Older sappers interviewed remember seeing FBE's on shore at Cultus during the 1950's but cannot recall if they were still being actively used.
Finally, as luck would have it, no pictures yet. My camera flooded prior and a borrowed camera also malfunctioned on the 16th. Hopefully, I will dive with someone soon who has better skills than I in the photography department.
I'm not disclosing the exact location until I do a better survey of the site, as I feel any artifacts should go to the CFB military historical society, but if anyone is genuinely interested in diving the site to photo/video record it they can PM me and I'll meet up or guide them to it. Once I'm sure there's nothing to strip I'll give up the location.
I will update this thread when I gain more info.
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