Vehicles

Softskin Vehicles Jeeps Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV) Armoured Cars Armoured Personnel Carriers ►Kangaroo Armoured Vehicle General Purpose Universal Carriers Main Battle Tanks ►M1917 Light Tank ►Sherman Tank Self Propelled Guns Flamethrowing AFVs ►Badger ►Crocodile ►Oke ►Wasp

Vehicle Markings ►Vehicle Markings (General) Second World War Formation Signs ►Formation Signs  Unit Signs ►1st Canadian Army ►Armoured Divisions ►Independent Armoured Brigades ►Infantry Divisions Tactical Signs ►Armoured Regiments ►Artillery Regiments ►Field Ambulance Units ►Signals Units ►Ordnance Units

Tactical signs were introduced in order to help designate special roles, functions or equipment performed/carried by certain vehicles. The signs were to measure 8 by 6 inches, be painted in black with a 5/8 inch yellow border, and have yellow characters measuring 3-1/2 inches by 2-1/2 inches. These signs were generally applied to the right front bumper (or fender) and located on the rear centre of the vehicle's body, though sometimes the signs were located instead on the right rear near the formation sign. The signs were also placed on vehicle sides, either centrally on the leading door, on the turret of armoured vehicles, or on the body of Universal Carriers.

In addition to distinguishing tactical uses of vehicles, listings of tactical sign markings are useful to researchers in establishing scales of issue of numbers and types of vehicles to particular units.

Note that the lists should be taken as a general guide only. Not all units were always up to full establishment of vehicles due to equipment shortages (or, less commonly, may have had surplus equipment on hand extra to establishment). The tables do not provide information on specific vehicle types, which changed during the course of the war for various reasons (tactical requirements changed, as did tables of organization and war establishment; Canadian production vehicles, which were preferred, also became increasingly available overseas as the war progressed).

Artillery Regiments .The tactical markings for artillery consisted of a coloured flash in red and blue, with a combination of letters and/or numbers in white over top. Regimental HQ 1st Battery 2nd Battery 3rd Battery 4th Battery (where present) At right, a Canadian jeep in 1945; the middle marking is the tactical sign, indicating a vehicle of the 2nd battery of the regiment. The Unit Sign indicates the senior artilery regiment of an infantry division, the division sign indicates 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, making this vehicle from the 4th Field Regiment. The white "J2" indicates a Battery liaison jeep. DND Photo.

Towed Field Regiment

Subunit	Flash	Marking	Vehicle Type	Vehicle User
Regimental Headquarters		Z	Jeep	Commanding Officer
Regimental Headquarters		Z2	Jeep	Second in Command
Regimental Headquarters Admin		A1	Jeep	Adjutant
Regimental Headquarters Admin		A2
Regimental Headquarters Admin		A3
Regimental Headquarters		SUR1	Jeep	Survey Officer
Regimental Headquarters		SUR2	Jeep	Survey
Regimental Headquarters		SUR3	Jeep	Survey
Regimental Headquarters		SUR4	Jeep	Survey
Regimental Headquarters		Q1		Quartermaster/Mess
Regimental Headquarters		Q2		Quartermaster/Mess
Regimental Headquarters		Q3		Quartermaster/Mess
Regimental Headquarters		Q4		Quartermaster/Mess
Regimental Headquarters		Q5		Quartermaster/Mess
Regimental Headquarters		Q6		Quartermaster/Mess
Regimental Headquarters		S1		Signals
Regimental Headquarters		S2		Signals
Regimental Headquarters		S3		Signals
Regimental Headquarters		S4		Signals
1st Battery		X		Battery Commander
1st Battery		X2		Battery Headquarters
1st Battery		K		Battery Captain
1st Battery		K1
1st Battery		K2
1st Battery		H		Battery Command Post Officer
1st Battery		Y		Battery Survey Officer
1st Battery		J1		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J2		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J3		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J4		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J5		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J6		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J7		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J8		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J9		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J10		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J11		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		J12		Battery Liaison
1st Battery		MI1		Artillery Signals
1st Battery		MI2		Artillery Signals
1st Battery		MI3		Artillery Signals
1st Battery		MI4		Artillery Signals
1st Battery		MI5		Artillery Signals
1st Battery		AMN1		Ammunition
1st Battery		AMN2		Ammunition
1st Battery		AMN3		Ammunition
1st Battery		Q1		Quartermaster/Mess
1st Battery		Q2		Quartermaster/Mess
1st Battery		Q3		Quartermaster/Mess
1st Battery		Q4		Quartermaster/Mess
1st Battery		Q5		Quartermaster/Mess
1st Battery, 1st Troop		RA		Troop Commander
1st Battery, 1st Troop		GA		Gun Position Officer (GPO)
1st Battery, 1st Troop		TLA		Troop Leader
1st Battery, 1st Troop		A		Gun Tractor and Gun/Limber
1st Battery, 1st Troop		B		Gun Tractor and Gun/Limber
1st Battery, 1st Troop		C		Gun Tractor and Gun/Limber
1st Battery, 1st Troop		D		Gun Tractor and Gun/Limber
1st Battery, 1st Troop		AB		Spare Gun Tractor
1st Battery, 1st Troop		CD		Spare Gun Tractor
1st Battery, 2nd Troop		RB		Troop Commander
1st Battery, 2nd Troop		GB		Gun Position Officer (GPO)
1st Battery, 2nd Troop		TLB		Troop Leader
1st Battery, 2nd Troop		E		Gun Tractor and Gun/Limber
1st Battery, 2nd Troop		F		Gun Tractor and Gun/Limber
1st Battery, 2nd Troop		G		Gun Tractor and Gun/Limber
1st Battery, 2nd Troop		H		Gun Tractor and Gun/Limber
1st Battery, 2nd Troop		EF		Spare Gun Tractor
1st Battery, 2nd Troop		GH		Spare Gun Tractor
2nd Battery		Markings as for 1st Battery
3rd Battery		Markings as for 1st Battery

References

• See also Dingwall, Don Canadian Vehicle Markings: A Comprehensive Guide to the Colours and Markings of the Canadian Army Overseas During WWII (Canadian Tracks Publishing, Carp, ON)