{"product_id":"ww2-canadian-named-p37-small-pack-lt-col-d-s-harkness","title":"WW2 Canadian Named P37 Small Pack Lt. Col. D.S. Harkness 1942","description":"\u003cp\u003eBritish made, Canadian issued, webbed material with brass fixtures, pattern 37 small pack, manufacture marked Bagcraft ltd. and dated 1942 with a British Broad Arrow. Shows expected use and wear. SKU: 65206\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"mwEA\"\u003eHe was born in\u003cspan\u003e Toronto Ontario\u003c\/span\u003e and moved to\u003cspan\u003e Calgary Alberta\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein 1929. He graduated from the\u003cspan\u003e University of Alberta\u003c\/span\u003e then farmed and taught school in the vicinity of\u003cspan\u003e Red Deer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eHe taught at Crescent Heights High School until 1939.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe fought during the\u003cspan\u003e Second World War\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efrom 1940 to 1945, serving in the European theater of war. He was posted to\u003cspan\u003e Great Britain, Sicily,\u003c\/span\u003e Italy and Northwest Europe.\u003csup class=\"mw-ref reference\" id=\"cite_ref-crowoct1960_1-1\" rel=\"dc:references\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eIn 1943 was awarded the\u003cspan\u003e George Medal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\"in recognition of conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner\".\u003csup class=\"mw-ref reference\" id=\"cite_ref-2\" rel=\"dc:references\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eHarkness was aboard a\u003cspan\u003e troopship\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewhen it was\u003cspan\u003e torpedoed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003etransiting from Sicily to England. Harkness was awarded the medal for his organization of the abandonment of the ship. In 1945,\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e Harkness was the commanding officer of the 5th Anti-Tank Regiment of the 4th Armoured Division\u003c\/span\u003e After returning from the war, Harkness returned to farming, residing in De Winton, Alberta, south of Calgary. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"mwMA\"\u003eIn 1945, Harkness was elected to the\u003cspan\u003e House of Commons Of Canada\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efor the constituency of Calgary East and briefly held the\u003cspan\u003e Cabinet \u003c\/span\u003epositions of Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister of National Revenue under the government of\u003cspan\u003e John Diefenbaker\u003c\/span\u003e. He was sworn into the\u003cspan\u003e Queen's Privy Council For Canada\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eon August 7, 1957, as Minister of Agriculture.\u003csup class=\"mw-ref reference\" id=\"cite_ref-crowoct1960_1-3\" rel=\"dc:references\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"mwOQ\"\u003eHarkness was appointed Minister of National Defence, being sworn in on October 11, 1960.\u003csup class=\"mw-ref reference\" id=\"cite_ref-crowoct1960_1-4\" rel=\"dc:references\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eHe precipitated a political crisis when he resigned from cabinet in February 1963 to protest Diefenbaker's opposition to stationing American nuclear warheads in Canada. The resignation precipitated a split in the cabinet and contributed to the defeat of the government in the\u003cspan\u003e 1963 Federal Election\u003c\/span\u003e He continued to sit as a Member of Parliament until 1972.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"mwGw\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Canadian Soldier Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52271577694504,"sku":"65206","price":350.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0678\/5646\/6216\/files\/MyProject23-001_81cc2f77-95fd-4819-9f66-7b5a7d5d6d00.jpg?v=1787346818","url":"https:\/\/thecanadiansoldier.com\/en-us\/products\/ww2-canadian-named-p37-small-pack-lt-col-d-s-harkness","provider":"Canadian Soldier Militaria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}