Hi all I’m reading a War Diary from North Africa 1943 time, and it mentions ‘A’ and ‘B’ vehicles - specifically that not enough men in the unit were trained on ‘A’ vehicles. Some men then went on a ‘Tank Course No 1’ Can anyone tell me the difference between A and B vehicles? And less likely, if anyone knows anything about the course? Thank you
"A" vehicles are listed in bridge classification pamphlets as tanks (all types), scout cars, armoured cars, armoured command vehicles, carriers (all types) and latterly self-propelled artillery pieces and fully tracked artillery tractors. "B" vehicles are primarily cars, trucks and lorries, plus wheeled tractors, and special use vehicles such as ambulances and fire engines. Gary
A Vehicle: Armoured Fighting Vehicle. B Vehicle: Softskin, tracked or wheeled. (Might sometimes have a bit of armour, but not really intended for 'front line' use.) C Vehicle: Earth-moving, tracked or wheeled. Cranes, tractors, etc. Ah, sorry. I see Gary got there first.
Yes, I 'think' "C" vehicles is a postwar term for engineering and plant. I was just going by the contemporary classification pamphlets, the basic outline VP gives is the one I'd usually gone by as well. It can get a little fuzzy as to what's an AFV, in that carriers (Bren, Scout, Universal) are not, and I'm pretty sure I've heard in the past they were not "A" vehicles either, but they were classed as such for bridging purposes. And "B" vehicles I've always tended to think of as softskins too, however the light reconnaissance cars (Humber and Morris) were "B" vehicles and definitely, though only lightly. armoured. Gary
