Ferret Archeology!!

[Peter4456]

I've been carefully removing layers of paint from my Ferret prior to a full respray over the Winter and so far I've found 4 RTR 'Chinese Eyes' (the vehicle's last unit in the Army) and 'RT S (or 8)' stencilled twice on the upper nearside of the hull, between the driver's side hatch and the spare wheel.

 

I've seen all types of stencils there before, but never RT S / 8 - any ideas what this means?

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

 

Ferret 2/3, 03 CC 42

[fv1609]

Peter, what size & in what colour are these markings? When you say "twice" do you mean in two places or is one just a renewal of the previous marking?

[Peter4456]

Clive,

 

The letters are 25mm high, one set grey and one set white. The second set is, as you say, a renewal of old markings.

 

I've seen vehicle codes in this location before, but not this!

 

Peter

[fv1609]

Peter well that certainly is the specified size for RAOC markings & most were to be in white except for a few that were in red. But I can't find anything that would explain it in RAOC/RCT/REME parlance.

 

I was looking through some transportation requirements for the 2/3 & rail transportation is detailed on "Sheet 8". Could it be yours was transported by rail & RT S/8 informs the loader that the details are to be found in JSP71 Rail Transport Sheet 8?

 

Once the journey was made the the marking was irrelevant & over painted. When it eventually it made the return journey, then it was marked accordingly?

 

I'm not entirely convinced by that, but has anyone got a better idea?

[Peter4456]

Clive,

 

Sounds logical to me!

 

One of the many reasons I love this Forum - whatever the question, SOMEONE will always have an answer!

 

Thanks again,

 

Peter

[AlienFTM]

Here's my two penn'orth. I am guessing that the markings are related to being a part of 4RTR but I admit it's something of a leap of faith. I am also guessing (the OP did not say) that the Ferret went back a long way with 4RTR.

 

Prior to about 1976, the Armoured Regiment had its own organic recce troop. Post 1976, recce troops for the two armoured regiments and three infantry battalions per division were provided by the divisional Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment's Close Recce Squadron, equipped with Scimitars. (So I am dating this before 1976.)

 

The post-1976 Recce Troop comprised eight Scimitars. How about this Ferret was part of 4RTR's Recce Troop, vehicle number 8. My Control Signaller skills post-date the use of Ferrets as Recce vehicles by a number of years (in the Scimitar-equipped Close Recce era) - and I was in Armoured Recce myself, not Armour - so I can only guess at the OrBat and Callsign designations of the Close Recce Troop of the Armoured Regiment before my time.

 

I am not suggesting that RT8 is a callsign from that period. I shan't even try to guess how it would work. In my time the eighth recce vehicle of a recce troop attached to an armour or infantry unit might be one of 61G, 62G, 63G, 64G or 65G, depending which troop of the Div Close Recce Sqn was attached. However RT8 would be a useful way for crews to spot which vehicle was which rather than trying to remember eight different VRNs.

 

Of course if the markings post-date 1976, I am completely wrong.

 

Post 1976, I'd expect the Armoured Regiment to have the following Ferrets:

 

RSM

LO

2 times Rebro - these four in Command Troop.

 

One per sabre squadron (3) for the SSM.

 

Total seven. So I really cannot make RT8 mean anything sensible post-1976. I had been prepared to guess that RT might have stood for Radio Troop, i.e. been a Rebro Ferret, but I cannot think why there'd be 8 of them.