Unknown symbol

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David W
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Unknown symbol

Post by David W »

I have a picture of a Morris AC9, and on the front mudguard there is a white (or pale) S on a dark rectangular (portrait) background. The photo is likely to be late 1941. I suspect the AC9 belonged to the K.D.G or 11th Hussars. What does the symbol mean/signify? And can we identify the background colour?
Last edited by David W on Tue Oct 09, 2007 4:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks. Dave.
C.GILLONO
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Post by C.GILLONO »

usually the arm of service marking
It varied much according to the theater and with time
Amateurs talk tactics, historians study logistics, but what about amateur historians?
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Post by David W »

The thought had crossed my mind, but "S" is for self propelled guns, and their weren't any at that time!
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Post by C.GILLONO »

S is the prefix for SPGs but I am writing about the arm of service marking, a number (one or 2 digits, three/four for Corps and Army troops) depicting the unit itself
But 1941 is a bit late for 'one digit' AOS markings (mostly 2-digit at the time)
Amateurs talk tactics, historians study logistics, but what about amateur historians?
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Andy H
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Re: Unknown symbol

Post by Andy H »

David W wrote:I have a picture of a Morris AC9, and on the front mudguard there is a white (or pale) S on a dark rectangular (portrait) background. The photo is likely to be late 1941. I suspect the AC9 belonged to the K.D.G or 11th Hussars. What does the symbol mean/signify?
Hi Dave

Any chance of posting the picture?

Any chance its a corrupted 5 rather than a S?

Regards

Andy H
You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.

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David W
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Post by David W »

The picture is on page 50 of "Tanks in Camera" by David Fletcher.
A closer inspection confirms that it is an "S" and not a "5".

The armoured car in pictured next to a Honey, and so the photo must be late 1941, at the earliest.

Hope this helps.
Thanks. Dave.
C.GILLONO
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Post by C.GILLONO »

David W wrote:The thought had crossed my mind, but "S" is for self propelled guns, and their weren't any at that time!
Sorry, I saw a 5 (five) when you wrote an S... :oops:
I think I have to change my glasses!

I have no explanation for such a marking, unfortunately
Amateurs talk tactics, historians study logistics, but what about amateur historians?
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Post by nigelfe »

I don't think there were any single digit numbers and certainly no letters used in unit code numbers on vehicles. I hadn't thought that any RAC units used vehicle role tac signs as RA did. I've always thought they used the vehicle call sign with a sqn symbol for this purpose (eg A Sqn uses a triangle, C sqn used a circle and B sqn used a vertical rectangle), that said fixed call signs were not used in WW2 so anything painted on would be some form of callsign fixed suffix. On balance I'd guess a vehicle role tac sign, possibly in B sqn.
David W
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Post by David W »

I've always thought they used the vehicle call sign with a sqn symbol for this purpose (eg A Sqn uses a triangle, C sqn used a circle and B sqn used a vertical rectangle), that said fixed call signs were not used in WW2 so anything painted on would be some form of callsign fixed suffix. On balance I'd guess a vehicle role tac sign, possibly in B sqn.

That makes good sense, but in that case, wouldn't the rectangle be hollow, as on tank turrets? This rectangle is solid and shaded.
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Post by David W »

Failed image.
Last edited by David W on Sun Oct 14, 2007 3:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks. Dave.
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Post by nigelfe »

This whole thing seems very unusual on a RAC vehicle, RA vehicle role tac signs were smaller and two colour but then the RA 'patch' colour was red & blue used in a way to indicate which battery in a regiment whereas RAC was usually (?) just red so using shape for sqn seems reasonable.
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Post by David W »

Ooops! Photo didn't come out!

I'll try again.
Thanks. Dave.
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