Markings and Insignia for Armour in the BEF

The young officer in the cap in post #11 is likely to be Lieut. D.G. Atkinson of 3 troop, B Sqn, 4/7 RDG. The second carrier had a sergeant in charge, the third a corporal/driver. The officers in light cavalry units were fond of their FS caps and I had it confirmed by a veteran of the unit that they wore them inside the light tanks in combat (steel helmets were worn in the carriers which were far more exposed).

The carrier in Rich's post (#12) may be that of Sgt Broad of 3 troop, reported destroyed with all crew on 17th May near Groenendaol. Another B Sqn carrier (TSM Potterton) had been damaged earlier by fire from a French a/t gun (one of several "friendly fire" incidents) and the TSM wounded, by no other crew hurt.

That photograph brings home what an uneven contest was taking place between the light cavalry armed with machine guns and a/t rifles and German armour. A very poignant image.

I am not clear about the colour of 4/7 RDG's squadron markings; were they all in red, or was it white hollow diamond (Regt HQ), red hollow triangle (A Sqn), yellow hollow square (B Sqn), blue hollow circle (C Sqn) - or some other combination?

Thinking a bit more about the camo shades and the apparent non-black AoS plate; could this simply be a result of the images being slightly over-exposed? I tried taking the exposure down a couple of stops on both images and got a reasonable result with both camo paint and AoS plate.

 

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I guess you have seen these ones - so maybe the rule about the diamond was more complicated.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=43096&stc=1&d=1294160792

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=43097&stc=1&d=1294160918

Andrew

 

Rich

Can you tell me more about Horsa as I don't recall seeing pictures of it before. I attach one other picture which I found on ebay which looks tantalisingly similar but the visible features of the street don't quite tie up. Perhaps they moved it.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=43100&stc=1&d=1294161705

It is interesting because it has a wider sprocket which was apparently tried out on some later Mk VIBs. These sprockets also feature on the MkVIBs displayed on the promenade at Malo les Bains which carry the number 28 and names including 'Alpine Hut'.

Andrew

 

Rich

Can you tell me more about Horsa as I don't recall seeing pictures of it before. I attach one other picture which I found on ebay which looks tantalisingly similar but the visible features of the street don't quite tie up. Perhaps they moved it.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=43100&stc=1&d=1294161705

It is interesting because it has a wider sprocket which was apparently tried out on some later Mk VIBs. These sprockets also feature on the MkVIBs displayed on the promenade at Malo les Bains which carry the number 28 and names including 'Alpine Hut'.

Andrew

Andrew, you've made me realise that I don't actually know anything about this tank. I thought that I had a number of images but they're all different. Asse (formerly Assche) was littered with Vickers VIBs.

You obviously know the photos in Taghon. These are others that I've saved from ebay :-



These eBay pictures and the first one from taghon below seem to be the same tank with the solid sprocket. It looks as if they hit the track with an A/T gun. There is another Vickers on the corner.



Just in case anyone hasn't seen them, these are the other images from Taghon located within Asse itself.

 

Rich

I have not seen the e-bay pics before. Are you fairly sure they are all Asse? As you know, what we ought to be seeing on these tanks is the 3rd Inf Div marking but the angles and damage don't help. I will look to see if I have any other MkVIBs that could be Asse / 15/19 Hussars.

Andrew

 

Rich / Jan

I have had a look through my pics from e-bay in 2008 and found these:

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=43371&stc=1&d=1294675353

Another bit of Asse?

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=43372&stc=1&d=1294675353

Slightly bent but still visible

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=43373&stc=1&d=1294675353

Andrew

 

1. Not many Markings here but nice clear Matilda 's at Arras photo ,the first 'Glanton' doesn't appear have any damage are they bogged down ?
2. Vickers 13 / 14 th Hussars at Dunkirk
Craig

 

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Thanks for info , the tanks look very new. What a coincidence finding the photos later in the war. I never take anything for granted with photo captions ! Their's a picture of BEF p.o.w's at Veules-Les-Roses which must have appeared hundreds of times captioned Dunkirk, even as book covers.

 

I've saved a couple of eBay Matilda images over the years.

This one is 'Galahad'



This one is captioned on the reverse as Gulleghem (it's near Wevelghem). Any ideas on the full name ?

 

A couple of nice views of Matilda I - T5578 - RMY 932





Are they known images ? I don't really have much literature on armour.

 

Rich

These are great pictures I have not seen before. Over on Missing Lynx Bob Gregory has posted a list of Matilda IIs and their names - one is 'Gough'

Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: Matilda II manufacture - North British Loco Contracts

Andrew

 

The unit sign 28 was used by 5 DG as demonstrated by this photo of "Batchelor Prince" which still has the sign of 4 Division displayed.


So we now have...
HQ: Hermes, Hengist, Horsa
A Sgn: Alpine Hut
B Sqn: Batchelor Prince
C Sqn: Commander, Columbo

 

Re post #26 - here is another picture which I found in Militaria Magazine No.8. The original source is not mentioned. It is captioned as Asse 15/19 Hussars and it certainly looks similar to the pictures from Taghon. However, at the back the large white rectangle with the smaller dark square looks different to the Taghon pictures.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=44042&stc=1&d=1295702117

Andrew

 

The unit sign 28 was used by 5 DG as demonstrated by this photo of "Batchelor Prince" which still has the sign of 4 Division displayed.


So we now have...
HQ: Hermes, Hengist, Horsa
A Sgn: Alpine Hut
B Sqn: Batchelor Prince
C Sqn: Commander, Columbo

This is an image from Pallud showing a MkVI and a Scout Carrier on the beach at Dunkerque, both displaying '28'



Are we to assume that this number relates to a Light Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade, and if so, why no GHQ bar ?

 

Two Matilda pictures currently on eBay:





Unfortunately no further info available...

Jan

 

'Greenock' and 'Goat' are both listed on the modeller's site. Wouldn't it be nice if we could fill in some gaps for them ?

 

This picture appears in Forty's 'British Army handbook'

The LAD lorry moving up into Belgium carries the expected '2' of it's parent unit - the Divisional Cavalry and the triangle of 1st Infantry Division suggesting that the tank belongs to 13th/18th Hussars.