South Peace Historical Society

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  • Table of Contents

    • Part 1: First Nations of the Peace River Region
    • Part 2: The Fur Trade Era
    • Part 3: Transportation and Communication
    • Part 4: Old Timers and the Price of Land
    • Part 5: Dawson Creek: The Story of the Community
    • Part 6: Mysteries, Adventures and Indian Legends
    • Part 7: Arts, Crafts and Recreation
    • Part 8: Agriculture
    • Part 9: Church Histories
    • Part 10: Schools
    • Part 11: Health Care
    • Part 12: Industries and Enterprises
    • Part 13: Policing the Peace
    • Part 14: Pouce Coupe, Rolla, and Other South Peace Communities
    • Part 15: Chetwynd and the Fort St. John Area
    • Part 16: The Alberta Peace
    • Part 17: Natural History of the Peace River Region
    • Part 18: Interviews with Old Timers
    • Part 19: Remembering Our Veterans

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03-017: Want to go up the Highway with me?

G.R. Clare, 1998
In March of 1944, Lloyd Vandergrift had a load to go from Dawson Creek to Fairbanks for Spinney Trucking and, wanting some company on the long drive, asked Bert Moffatt to go along on the nine day round trip. Always the adventurous type, Bert agreed immediately and began work on getting the necessary papers. Because the Alaska Highway was a military road, controlled by the US Army, Bert had to carry documents showing he was an alternate driver for the upcoming trip. He also had to go to the Control Station at Mile 2 of the highway, to get a Yellow Card (a temporary licence) which carried detailed identification and authorized him to drive anything under five tons weight on the Alaska Highway.

On March 7, 1944, Lloyd and Bert left Dawson Creek for the long haul north, carrying a 2800 pound load. The weather in March is unpredictable, so Bert dressed in woolen underwear, a cotton shirt, wool pants, wool socks, leather boots, a wool sweater and cap and a pair of woolen mitts. He also took along an extra wool jacket, an eiderdown sleeping bag, some matches, his shaving kit and a bit of cash for meals and other possible expenses.

Just before they reached the Control Station at the edge of Dawson Creek, they pulled into the Army Filling Station. Here their papers and permits were all carefully checked before they filled up with all the free gas they could carry. These Control Stations and Filling Stations, all virtually identical, were spaced about every 100 miles up the highway and at each of them vehicles had to check in and have their documents inspected. Gas and oil were provided free of charge to legitimate travellers. The highway itself was well maintained and a 35 mph speed limit was strictly enforced which helped keep the roadway in good condition when it was dry. According to Bert, experienced drivers like Lloyd would keep the speedometer needle sitting right around the 35 mph mark all day and all night, up hills or down hills, and around any curve the road threw at them. Lloyd remembers this a bit differently and just laughs when asked about it!

They stopped for lunch at the Army Camp at Blueberry. Truckers and civilians lined up behind the troops in the 200 seat Mess Hall. The hungry men, carrying their plates, passed by a line of seven soldiers waiting to load the dishes with generous servings of food: meat, mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, noodles, tinned peaches and a cup of coffee. The meal cost Bert and Lloyd 28 cents each. They stopped for supper at a civilian camp about 200 miles north of Fort St John, paying 50 cents each for a meal served “threshing crew” style at tables with silent waiters refilling bowls and platters as the hungry men quickly emptied them.

Light drizzle and freezing rain followed by heavy, wet snow made the driving very tricky north of the Liard Hot Springs until chains were put on. Lloyd and Bert made it through without mishap, but other trucks were not so lucky, spending hours in the ditch waiting for help.

In the afternoon of March 9 they reached Whitehorse where they had to turn in their “Dawson Creek to Whitehorse” permits and get a set for the “Whitehorse to Fairbanks” part of the trip, including passports for entry into Alaska. By Saturday morning they were in Fairbanks, their load delivered and ready to head home again – a fairly typical trip for the drivers who moved the equipment and materials up and down the Alaska Highway during the war years. Bert brought his boys shiny new American silver dollars as souvenirs of his trip north.

« 03-016: My First Trip on the Alaska Highway

03-018: Fur Brigade Routes »

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