1942 Military Small Box

[Stubby1743]

This box was my fathers for as long as I can remember and now has been mine for 20 years.



It measures 6"x23/4"x23/4" and has a simple flip over catch.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to what CNFP stands for?

 

[goldtang]

may be Commander Naval Forces Pacific. fleet

 

[four.cycle]

"Canadian National Fire Patrol" ?

 

[slowtwitch73]

Canadian mortar spare parts box

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Canadian mortar spare parts box

^ This.

@Stubby1743 Some of them are marked "SPARE SPRINGS, KEEP PINS, WASHERS, & INSULATORS" and if you search Google Books on that exact phrase you will find references galore to spare parts boxes in artillery units for that purpose dating back to WWI.

 

[Stubby1743]

Thanks Slowtwitch and Lugz. I was confident that someone here would come up with the answer. So what does CNFP stand for?

I've no idea how my father came to own the box. He was in the Royal Navy.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

So what does CNFP stand for?

I've never seen a definitive answer to that.

I've no idea how my father came to own the box. He was in the Royal Navy.

Did he only keep Navy stuff? My father was in the US Navy during WWII, but he accrued all kinds of surplus from other services. These boxes are akin to the US Ordnance Dept M5 and M6 boxes, used for the same purpose by armorers (mechanical technicians in armor units to keep all the guns operable), and they, too, had a long, prolific, and widespread life after the war. When I see them, they're always filled with old hardware.

 

[Stubby1743]

Dad did have some tools that had a Royal Navy origin. The only other non Navy surplus item that he had was the metal box that I posted in another thread and which you identified as being for storage of crystals for radio sets.

 

[Dave455]

Canadian mortar spare parts box

Excellent info!

I’ve seen other boxes like this in the U.K.

I was told once that they were spare parts boxes for Canadian snipers, but I never believed that. Firstly, the only spares a sniper needs will fit in a small tin. These boxes are too big to carry.

Secondly, the “complete equipment” for a Canadian Sniper was essentially the same as for a British one. I’m very well acquainted with that, and a box of this nature is not part of it.

I've no idea how my father came to own the box. He was in the Royal Navy.

After the war, huge amounts of ex government / military equipment were sold off surplus. Every other shop in Tottenham court road was selling it at one time. Practical people could pick up all manner of useful stuff for little money.

My own Grandfather used to go to the auctions, which were even cheaper, but you often had to buy some very mixed lots, to get what you wanted.

 

[torontotools]

Jumping on this thread because I want to know if the metal box I have has military roots. Please see the labelling in the photos : Boxes Metal Tools no.1 Ref no. 1A/87 makes me think of an index system that military might use. Under the rust and oil the box is olive green. The red heart probably painted on later? The wrenches were in the box, including the Dreadnaught and KD24 in really nice clean shape. Does anybody recognize that labeling on the box?