70th Anniversary Convoy

At the height of World War 2, in 1942 the Alaska Highway was completed from Mile 0 in Dawson Creek through Watson Lake in the Yukon, on to Whitehorse and ending at Delta Junction Alaska. To commemorate the 70th Anniversary a convoy of vintage military vehicles gathered at Dawson City. The convoy of about 80 jeeps, and trucks of various sizes had a rest day in Watson Lake. We planned our South bound trip to meet the convoy here. 

The above truck, a 1942 model was rescued by the above owner from a field in a very derelict condition. He has done a beautiful restoration.  He had a full set of pictures showing us its condition when he found it, and the steps in its restoration.

To our surprise here is a truck sporting a Kiwi Silver Fern and Canadian flag. We chatted with Mike  Edridge from Pelorus Bridge, Marlborough, New Zealand, who was joining his Canadian friend on the convoy.  Somehow, I must have said I was originally from Matamata and he said did we know Bert and Ann Pond? Well, they are very old friends of my parents and Mike's wife Judi is Ann's niece. Small World.

The above equipment could be very useful on some of the roads the convoy will be taking, many of them gravel or just dirt and the extra fuel containers as the fuel stops are further apart today then they were 70 years ago. 

We met several trucks such as this one flying the New Zealand flag. When the convoy was being planned various web sites put out requests looking for co-drivers. Consequently several Kiwi's joined the convoy.

On the larger trucks with canvas covers many on the convey were set up to camp in with cots, army surplus camping equipment.

A number of 'heavy' trucks and trailers were part of the convoy.

The Royal Australian Air force had a representative truck painted in original colours.

We met several 'heavy' trucks visiting the Watson Lake Airport. Historic displays showed this airport as a staging point during the building of the Alaska Highway.