Hi all I have uploaded a pic of my father (who was in the REME) standing next to his truck, which I believe is a Dodge, though not totally certain on that. Would anyone be able to help with the markings that are visible, particularly the unit No on the front wing, the bridge No just below (not sure what a bridge No is) and the sign on the driver's door. Your help would be much appreciated. Andy
The bridge number was in effect a rounded up weight. Bridges were also classified according to the weight of the vehicles they could support. If the vehicle bridge number was less than or equal to the bridge's class then it was safe to cross. The number on the hood or bonnet is probably the end of its serial number which was just a unique identifier for the vehicle. I don't see a door - did you mean to post a second image as well? The symbol above the bridge number is for a unit I don't recognize.
Hi Chris Thanks for your help, I uploaded a cropped image instead of the original which I have now attached and shows the door with a star shaped sign. Also in case you're curious the writing on the bumper is my mother's nickname. Andy
Ooh so actually the bumper seems to show 2230 on a three colour field divided by a white diagonal. That is definitely an arm of service "flash" where the number would identify the unit. I will have a look at what references I have but there are many unknown. Do you have any idea where and when the photo was taken? According to Warpaint by Taylor, GHQ troops 1944-45 "incorporated a diagonal bar top left to bottom right" I am guessing this is in Northwest Europe then. But he does not have a record for 2230. To be honest it may very well be easier to identify the unit through his service records on account of there being a large number of units in higher-level formations for which there are not many photos. A lot of this information has had to be reconstructed since the war. REME used background colours for these numbers which were blue/yellow/red according to Taylor. Not that that is one of the questions you asked.
On part of the attached service record there is a 2833 which is about the closest I can see, which would also fit with when he was in Northwest Europe with XII Corps. Also any idea on the badge on the door. Is Warpaint a book that is still available. All information no matter how trivial is most welcome so again thanks.
I rather suspect that the 2833 was totally unrelated. The AOS numbers could be changed - there were different schemes used at different times and theatres. Warpaint is a series of four books, which are being republished and sold by the Tank Museum, but cover a wide range of topics related to camouflage and vehicle markings and are sadly not so encyclopedic to give us answers here. There was a wonderful set of images posted here of what I think were RASC unit emblems that you wouldn't find anywhere else (certainly they were not in Warpaint) and I'm afraid the emblem on the door is probably something similarly hard-to-find for an REME unit. I wouldn't be surprised if someone here could identify the exact type of vehicle it was, though. The shape of the rear seems kind of distinctive.
The AoS Flash is the REME Blue/Yellow/Red,with the GHQ/L of C Tps diagonal bar. The Serial must be 2830, because (from Hodges & Taylor pages 113-116) the 22xx and 23xx blocks were RASC units, while REME units had Serials in the 27xx-28xx range. The Service Record shows various candidates (a better scan would help): From 1.11.42 - 1 ?? AA Wksp Coy From 1.10.43 - 312 Armd Tps Wksp (Serial 2812, thus not this unit) From 15.3.44 - 50 Inf Tps Wksp From 25.3.44 - 49 Inf Tps Wksp From 25.?.44 - 43 Inf Tps Wksp From 10.8.44 - HQ 12 Corps OFP RAOC My guess would therefore be 43 Inf Tps Wksp. Do you have any idea of when the photo was taken? Michel
I'd say the vehicle is a CMP Dodge D15 with an office/radio body. I would speculate that the door marking may be some kind of spark motif to indicate the vehicle was radio-equipped.
Thanks to everyone for all your help I have attached some more hopefully clearer scans. I was always under the impression that he worked on Radar but with the help TD a while ago he advised me that he may be more of a radio technician and after more research that proved to be the case so the vehicle description certainly fits. Although his service record does not reflect this much he did spend a lot of time in Italy and was awarded the Italy star, after inquiring within my family my older brother thinks the picture was taken there, where he said he drove a 1 ton signals truck (he also told me on one occasion his mate who was in the truck with him was sadly shot by a sniper). Is it possible that the unit No on the wing corresponds to any that were in Italy.
I am trying to find out more information of my grandad Dennis Henry STOKES who was with the 922Coy RASC in North Africa. There is a domino logo that I am guessing relates to 15 something.....? Any help, I have lots of his old photos from WW2 so would love to know where best to share as I am sure some of his mates named will have relatives here that would treasure them. Here's one of my favourites of my grandad with one of the many trucks he drove (and photographed).
Hi Gary I would suggest if you haven't already done so is to apply for his service records from the MOD which should tell you where he served and his units etc. You could then post copies on the forum where there are people on here who have vast knowledge on anything regarding WW2. There is also gallery where you can post pictures you want to share or you could open a new thread. Also earlier in this thread there is some basic diagrams of WW2 vehicle markings. Andy
There is not (IIRC) a lot of information about RASC company unit markings. It is possible that the domino logo was what 922Coy used to identify its vehicles but this is purely speculative on my part.
From the Christmas menu cover, it does look like the 1-5 domino was the emblem for 922 G.T. Coy RASC.
922 G.T. Coy RASC was previously known as 15 Reserve M.T. Coy RASC., which explains the use of the '1-5' domino as a company sign. I believe the name-change took place in Nov 1941. It seems to have remained in the Middle East area throughout WW2.
