U.N Vehicle Markings

[Richard Grosvenor]

I maybe stupid but.......is there a correct way to mark up a vehicle as if it was being used by the United Nations?

 

Reason for this is my ZIL was intended to be used by the UN. It was sprayed white, but was never used.

I've decided that I'm not going to sell the ZIL (the philistines just want smash it up off road!! :evil: ) but as every other ZIL 131 in the country is green with a red star on the doors I would like mine to be a little bit different, hence the UN colour scheme.

I know it's White with UN on the doors (and possibly also on the bonnet) but do they carry any other markings on them?

 

Regards

Richard

[Guest matt]

Hi Richard,

 

Where would a ZIL have been operated by the UN? the reason I ask is I have the US forces Bosnia handbook and I'm sure that covers UN vehicle markings. I will try to find it later today.

 

Matt.

[fv1609]

There are UN stickers here:

http://www.emlra.org/C&S%20Barrow%20index/barrow_index.htm

[ArtistsRifles]

You'll need the blue beret and UN cap badge too!!

[AlienFTM]

You'll need the blue beret and UN cap badge too!!

 

... and a cloth UN badge on the sleeve. I suspect it's the right sleeve worn above any rank chevrons (and above an SQMS's crown, too). In fact, the more I think about it, it goes right up maybe 1/2" from the seam at the top of the sleeve.

[Richard Grosvenor]

You'll need the blue beret and UN cap badge too!!

 

Too right! I'd look proper cool in a blue beret. :lol:

 

Matt, I'm not really sure of any one place where ZIL's were used by the UN. "Googling" comes up with quite a few mentions of ZIL 131 Decontamination Units being used but unfortunately hardly any pictures. This site has some pictures of what looks to be dropside bodied ZIL's ready for use by the UN

http://www.newswatchmagazine.org/unvehpict/home.htm

 

With regards uniform, I am totally ignorant of how the UN works. Does it have it's own soldiers wearing it's own uniform or does it use regular soldiers from member countries with, as AlienFTM said, cloth badges on their sleeves?

 

Regards

Richard

[ArtistsRifles]

Back in my day UN forces comprised units from National forces in their normal kit but with the blue beret and either a badge on the shoulder OR UN armbands. Seem to recall that the armbands were being replaced by the sewn-on patches as I left???

[AlienFTM]

Back in my day UN forces comprised units from National forces in their normal kit but with the blue beret and either a badge on the shoulder OR UN armbands. Seem to recall that the armbands were being replaced by the sewn-on patches as I left???

 

All UN troops wore their own uniform with modifications. Between September 1976 and March 1977, we (The Force Reserve Squadron in Ferret Scout Cars) wore:

 

A UN blue beret, made in Italy and with a lot of material but well cut, so that after a lot of shrinking by boiling, it shaped well and held its shape, unlike the abortion of a standard issue Kangol beret we wore at home.* One member of our squadron had served with the Army Air Corps (indeed, we'd had an AAC Squadron attached during our tour of Omagh, which we'd left earlier that year). As a result, he owned a Victor's* AAC beret as substitute which was better than the real thing.

 

The badge was a white enamel representaion of the UN globe: big and heavy.

 

We were issued a UN blue scarf in a lightweight silk or satin-like material: much lighter weight than the navy towelling 15/19H scarves we wore normally.

 

The cloth badge was worn as described in my earlier post. The tailor was kept busy as just about everything with a sleeve had the blue badge on. We were issued with OG shirts for the tour which were remarkably comfortable and we were able to retain them and end of tour, to wear in BAOR.

 

Overalls were only worn in camp: Combat Jacket and Lightweights / OGs were de rigeur on patrol (we were a winter tour; the summer tour wore OG shirts and trousers. OG shorts were also available for wear in camp**).

 

Having been issued on Day 1 with OG shirts bearing the badge, beret and badge, we were also issued a brassard bearing the badge, for use with clothing which, for whatever reason might not have a UN badge on. ISTR that the UN generally required them to be worn on the left sleeve, but British troops wore them on the right. This was good news for NCOs who might be wearing a rank brassard on the right sleeve: they didn't have to wear another on the left, looking like they had wings.

 

Shirts were attritional items and didn't last long. It wasn't unheard of that badges were glued onto the shirts (though I was able to remove the badges from all mine for use use in BAOR).

 

As UN troops, we were required to be in uniform at all times. We arrived in September when Shirt-sleeve Order was still in, so we were able to walk out into Nicosia in (smart: we were inspected) Barrack Dress trousers in dark green with khaki No 2 Dress shirts (and badges on sleeves!), but come the cessation of Shirt-sleeve Order which was probably the end of October, we had to wear full No 2 Dress out of camp in the evening, including the blue badge on the arm. Because I hadn't had a ribbon for my General Service Medal 1962 with Clasp Northern Ireland ("For Campaign Service") sewn onto my No 2 Dress Jacket, I bimbled into the tailor's shop with a request for it to be done (along with the blue badge) ready for having to wear it out. I found myself queued up behind the Squadron Sergeant Major, who had beaten me to the drop and went on to point out that having completed 28 days (IIRC) in theatre, we were entitled to wear the ribbon of the UNFICYP Medal ("In The Service Of Peace"), even though the actual medals wouldn't be presented until a medal parade at end of tour. So I was actually one of the first to wear the medal ribbon in our unit. In those Cold War days, there were no other medals to be earned until the Falklands War came along six years later, so I went from sprog to "chestful of medals" in the time it took to sew them on.

 

* Back in the regiment it was normal to pay a visit to the QM and try to exchange a nasty Kangol beret for a much better-cut, better-fitting, more comfortable Compton Webb. People who really cared went to Victor's of Aldershot and bought a beret there.

 

** The Troop Sergeant of the A Squadron Troop who relieved us informed us he'd lived in these Nissen huts in the grounds of the closed down Nicosia Airport ajdacent to RAF Nicosia a couple of years previously with the RAC Parachute Squadron on its final tour before disbandment in the immediate aftermath of the war when it was being changed from use as a refugee camp.

[Richard Grosvenor]

Thanks Guys,

 

All info and advice is much appreciated.

 

Regards

Richard