I recently visited the Royal Logistic Corps museum at Worthy Down, Hampshire. Amongst the exhibits on display was an 18Pr Gun Limber. The Limber was filled with fired 18Pr cases. One case caught my attention as it was a manufacturer that I had never seen before - "R.S. Co.". It took a while to identify the monogram, as the listed entry was M D.Co (R.S. Co). Nevertheless, "R.S. Co." is REO Sales and further investigation revealed that "REO" is an acronym for Ransom_Eli_Olds , who was the founder of what was to become Oldsmobile Cars. Olds sold his company in 1899 but remained on the board. In 1904 it transpires that Olds had a falling out with the son of the owner and duly left to set up another motor car manufacturing company – REO_Motor_Car_Company
The new company also started manufacture in Canada. The REO Motor Car Co. (a.k.a. REO Automobile Works) operated in St. Catharines from 1909 until 1913 at a manufacturing plant located on Mill Street, near Geneva Street. In 1913, the manufacturing operations were relocated to Windsor and then Leaside (Toronto). However, the site remained in their ownership. In 1915, the government requisitioned the plant to build munitions.
From the monogram listing - M.D.Co (R.S. Co) it would appear that REO Sales and Metal Drawing Company were the same entity. When REO Sales started manufacture and their relationship with Metal Drawing Company is unknown. Also, when the change in monogram occured, is as yet not known.
There was an article published in Star Weekly [Toronto] on March 27, 1915, which lists Metal Drawing Co as one of the many newly formed chartered companies. This date predates the R.S case.
The date on the R.S. case is 15th June 1915 and the date on the M.D.Co case is July 1915, which happened to be in the same limber.
To confuse matters further from entries in the Vernon Directory from 1912-1921, it appears that REO Motor Car Co. Ltd. maintained use of at least part of the property on Mill St. as there are multiple entries in the Directories that show REO Motor Car Co. and Metal Drawing Co being at the Mill St. location, each managed by different people. Mr. Fifield, manager at Metal Drawing, was previously manager of REO Sales. REO Sales was located on Ontario Street, a short distance away and has no Directory entries on Mill St. In fact, it is only listed as “REO Sales” in the 1914-15 and 1915-16 Directories. After that it is listed as REO Garage.
A big thank you to Candace Vanstaalduine of St. Catharines Museum who assisted me with my investigations and supplied most of the photos.
The first two lines on the song board are "Who are we, who are we, we are the boys of the M.D.C.
Different view of the site.
The Medal Drawing Company went on to produce projectiles as well as cartridge cases.
TimG
The new company also started manufacture in Canada. The REO Motor Car Co. (a.k.a. REO Automobile Works) operated in St. Catharines from 1909 until 1913 at a manufacturing plant located on Mill Street, near Geneva Street. In 1913, the manufacturing operations were relocated to Windsor and then Leaside (Toronto). However, the site remained in their ownership. In 1915, the government requisitioned the plant to build munitions.
From the monogram listing - M.D.Co (R.S. Co) it would appear that REO Sales and Metal Drawing Company were the same entity. When REO Sales started manufacture and their relationship with Metal Drawing Company is unknown. Also, when the change in monogram occured, is as yet not known.
There was an article published in Star Weekly [Toronto] on March 27, 1915, which lists Metal Drawing Co as one of the many newly formed chartered companies. This date predates the R.S case.
The date on the R.S. case is 15th June 1915 and the date on the M.D.Co case is July 1915, which happened to be in the same limber.
To confuse matters further from entries in the Vernon Directory from 1912-1921, it appears that REO Motor Car Co. Ltd. maintained use of at least part of the property on Mill St. as there are multiple entries in the Directories that show REO Motor Car Co. and Metal Drawing Co being at the Mill St. location, each managed by different people. Mr. Fifield, manager at Metal Drawing, was previously manager of REO Sales. REO Sales was located on Ontario Street, a short distance away and has no Directory entries on Mill St. In fact, it is only listed as “REO Sales” in the 1914-15 and 1915-16 Directories. After that it is listed as REO Garage.
A big thank you to Candace Vanstaalduine of St. Catharines Museum who assisted me with my investigations and supplied most of the photos.
The first two lines on the song board are "Who are we, who are we, we are the boys of the M.D.C.Different view of the site.The Medal Drawing Company went on to produce projectiles as well as cartridge cases.TimG
Last edited: