Google has this wonderful little tool that we use quite often in the archives. You go to google search and tap the icon that looks like a camera on the far right of the search line. You can then take a photo of your item and by the magic of the internet find out what you are looking at (reverse image search). It doesn’t always work but it does give you some hints as to where to look. This item, a carbine lantern, donated in 1991 by Barry Sobchuk of Brandon turned out to be a gem (see photo on the right). It would have been used during the black outs during the War. It is old and rusty but we do wish we could hear the stories it could tell. The lanterns produced a bright white light through the process of dripping water onto calcium carbide. The slit in the lens cap reduced the lighted area so was suitable during the blackouts. It was also popular because batteries were scarce. They were mostly used by civilians on patrol but were also used in railway stations to inspect wheels and other duties. The handle of this lantern has an opening so that the lantern could be hung on a post or bicycle. Canada did have mandatory black outs particularly along the coasts that feared enemy attacks. So where it was used and how it travelled to the prairies to end up in our Museum will probably remain a mystery.
item submitted by CATPM archivist, Judith.
Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum & RCAF WWII Memorial 