CGB stands for??

[stencollector]

On certain gun parts such as the Canadian sniper rifle telescopes, or the Canadian 22 Enfield Rifle chests, or various Canadian Bofors parts, the letters CGB prefix some the part numbers. According to the Canadian Bofors Manual, the CGB refers to:CGB: a) parts re-designed to suit Canadian Production methods but not interchangeable with UK counterparts.
b) Also, in some cases, these part numbers have been utilized in regrouping stores to simplify accounting and storage. In such cases interchangeability will be readily appreciated by a comparison of columns 3 and 6.

So by this, we know what the letters mean, but what I would like to know is what they stand for. Does anybody know? It is notable that Clive Law also asks this in his booklet "Without warning".

I note that on the bofors manual, any observations are to be sent to the Controller General Inspection Board of the UK and Canada. Could it be that CGB stands for Controller General Board?

Does anyone have more information on the meaning of this pre-fix?

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

You could ask what does B1/CR stand for when dealing with No4 rifle parts........ or V5/OS 1234 or what does the L1A1 indicator mean literally? For my 2c's worth, having been in the system and seen/learned (a bit, but only to my own advantage I hasten to add.....) how the Ordnance system works, I say that they have no 'meaning' as such except as an prefix identifier.

Incidentally, the Ordnance people changed the LETTER parts of the VAOS numbering system because you change the following letter per 24 whereas numbers change per 10

[Surpmil]

...Could it be that CGB stands for Controller General Board? Does anyone have more information on the meaning of this pre-fix?

That's the best explanation seen yet IMO.

[stencollector]

Peter
Although I was only a mechanic with the military, I did get somewhat involved on the supply end, and find that there is almost always a pattern or a system to these things, even if it's merely sequential. The Bofors manual has given me the best explanation of the meaning up to this point.....I'll be keeping my eyes open in other Canadian manuals on the guns to see if better explanation is given somewhere. If the CGB was merely a sequential prefix, then there should have been a CGA.

[Terrylee]

Herewith a photo of a British marked pair of binoculars made in Canada also with the C.G.B. marking. I find the connection with the above-mentioned examples very interesting. This pair obviously ended up in South Africa since it also bears the U.D.F. disposal mark.

[Peter Laidler]

That single example would appear to disprove/discount Sten collectors theory on the grounds that we didn't manufacture that type of binocular!

Incidentally, I saw a pair of those binoculars still in UK service, still on charge, at a small unit at Worthy Down in the mid 80's I also saw (and wrote off.....) a similar pair of US lend lease Baush and Lomh(?) 'binoculars, stereo' at about the same time too

[stencollector]

I think that would actually support the parts manual's explanation of the meaning. I have to head off to work, but tonight I'll post the three levels of variation to the part numbers given in the parts manual.

[Mk VII]

I note that on the bofors manual, any observations are to be sent to the Controller General Inspection Board of the UK and Canada. Could it be that CGB stands for Controller General Board?

Does anyone have more information on the meaning of this pre-fix?

That would be the Joint Inspection Board of the United Kingdom and Canada.

I have heard it said that it stands for 'Contract Great Britain'. But most likely it doesn't stand for anything.

[Peter Laidler]

The Contract Great Britain is easlily discounted by the fact that the Bren was a a contract for GB and simply retained the old UK VAOS numbering system. But like Mk7 says, probably just an Ordnance prefix in much the same way as most of the others with two or three figure prefixes

[stencollector]

Well, I am going to keep my eyes open and see if there is some pattern to the early Canadian part numbers, or any meaning to the letters, even if it is only a sequential assignment or the drawing designator of a certain branch.

Anyway, I am attaching a photo of the relevant section of the preface for the Bofors 40mm. I noted the other day that the 25 pdr manual has a similar preface to it, although the British prefix will be FL as opposed to AN. I have also attached a sample page of numbers and the corresponding illustration which gives samples of the use of each number.