Having had chance to examine the images [at last] I can now re-assess my
findings...
COLIN STEVENS wrote:
> ***** Photo # 1 shows part of the War Department number which appears to be
> CT200??? Raphael, can you tell us the whole number?
Having examined the images in Photoshop I wonder how you arrived at this
conclusion [though its possibly correct] as all I can see is that the
top 200 is prefixed with a hollow white triangle with the bracket
concealing a T and you can see the top of another number concealed by
the next bracket so we have [triangle]T200[3/7/5?] which is pretty low
down in the numbering sequence for a Universal Mk II. The lower number
is, again 200, the letters? before it are to indistinct to form an
opinion but the number after it appears to be a 7.
> ***** The UNIT SIGN consisting of a number in white (or red for Signals), on
> a coloured rectangular background was usually on the starboard (driver's
> right) side on the front. "55" on red indicates the first battalion in the
> senior brigade of a division. I have a copy of the list of all of the unit
> markings from the First Canadian Army in 1944 and from it can tell which of
> their units used "55". For this British marking system, also used by
> Canada, one needed to see BOTH the unit sign and formation sign to get a
> positive identification as the unit sign was repeated in each division. I
> will dig out my reference for you Raphael and look it up.
You have your combinations the wrong way round here. Facing the front or
rear of the vehicle the arm of service [aos]sign is on the left [ as
seen on the wrecks front] and the div sign is on the right. Incidentally
IIRC red/55 was also the aos sign for a motor battalion in an arnoured
brigade.
> >>and a blue square on the left front,
> ***** THIS SHOULD BE THE FORMATION SIGN ON THE SIDE OPPOSITE FROM THE UNIT
> SIGN - Look to see if it is a dark blue or light grey ('French Blue") and if
> there is evidence of a gold maple leaf in the middle. If dark blue then this
> would be from the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. If light grey (French
> Blue) it would be 3rd Canadian Infantry Division (which landed on D-Day)
> [NOTE: Do not confuse them with the British Army's 3rd Division which also
> landed on D-Day nearby.]
I agree that it is a dark blue square as I doubt it would have faded
darker from the french blue even when buried! the opposite is usually
the rule. In this case it is strange that its so high up and isnt on the
opposite side of the aos sign on the lower glacis. Looking at the
picture one can seea faint bluish looking square and I wonder if this is
the actiual div sign.
> >>yellow diamond with DI inside).
> ****** This is a tactical sign. Headquarters (HQ) was usually a diamond
> shape.
> "DI" may refer to D Troop for an artillery or armoured unit.
The yellow diamond usually denotes the HQ squadron of an armoured
regiment as the infantry units generally did not follow this system -
however some did and if we apply this system this is HQ company
[diamond] second senior battalion [yellow paint] of the infantry
brigade. As for the D1, looking at the vehicle we remains we can see
that it wasn't from the anti-tank gun platoon [not a Lloyd carrier] or
the mortar platoon [no clamps on rear plate to stow the 3" mortar tube]
and that leaves us with
So at the moment we can assume its the 1st vehicle, D Section [D1]
unidentified platoon, HQ Company [diamond] second senior battalion
[yellow painted diamond] 2nd Canadian Infantry division
Which makes it from
HQ Company
Royal Hamilton Light Infantry
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Canadian Infantry Division
Now if only I can figure out the DI................
TTFN
Jim
Honorary Secretary
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