Normandy Transport Stencils?

[ajmac]

When an armoured vehicle left the factory what was painted on it in the UK? Just the WD No?

 

Then before they were shipped over to France in 1944 what would have been added? As normal I am think about the Loyd markings, but it is usefull to all.

 

The 'Not be stowed on deck', was that on everything, or just certain vehicles?

 

'Anti-freeze etc...' when where these added and in what colour was all this info, flat white?

[David B.]

Many,many years ago I had a 1944 Canadian Universal Carrier still in its shipping crate which had been built in Canada,run round the factory,the tracks removed and shipped over to the UK with three miles on the clock. It was obviously a British contract as the "T" number was painted on the sides.

 

My K2 Ambulance came out of service with the anti-freeze added symbol of a red disc painted on a small white square near the rad cap - but no stencilling. Was this not the norm for British vehicles that had anti-freeze added ?

 

David.

Edited October 31, 2011 by David B.

[Adrian Barrell]

I think it was only the T number that was painted on in the factory, it being the vehicle i.d.

 

The 'not to be stowed on deck' was more likely for longer sea crossings such as atlantic sailings for US and Canadian built vehicles, much of the assault wave on D Day being in LCTs where there was no other choice!

 

The antifreeze instructions were originally a blue circle near the rad cap or a blue ring around the filler but this was later changed to red. The 'this vehicle is filled with antifreeze 1/3 2/3 and must not be drained' seems peculiar to afvs and was very common, my Sherman had it on both sides.

 

All of the later stencilling was in white, earlier Sherman WD numbers were in blue like early US numbers and sometimes in black.