SquireBev Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 https://tank-markings.blogspot.com/ For the past few weeks I've been working on a guide to British Tank and vehicle markings - particular the arcane system of colours and numbers used for Arm of Service markings. With help from people on other forums and social media I've been able to track down enough sources to come up with a vaguely coherent overview of the systems used throughout the war. Apologies if this breaks any rules about shameless self promotion, but I'm hoping the usefulness of the resource outweighs any potential distaste! 4 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardcastle Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Useful, thanks! Tim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoot Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 This is very useful information to have all in one place. Are you going to do further table(s) with the changes to the divisions/Indy brigades as the campaign went on as the independent brigades in particular underwent numerous changes in units and markings after Normandy as this info is much less well documented. I’ve been doing quite a bit of research into 31, 6 guards and particularly 34 tank/armoured brigade markings in late 44 - 45 recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share Posted July 8, 2020 31 minutes ago, bigfoot said: This is very useful information to have all in one place. Are you going to do further table(s) with the changes to the divisions/Indy brigades as the campaign went on as the independent brigades in particular underwent numerous changes in units and markings after Normandy as this info is much less well documented. I’ve been doing quite a bit of research into 31, 6 guards and particularly 34 tank/armoured brigade markings in late 44 - 45 recently. Yep, I'm trying to put together a visual timeline of the changes, with regiments swapping between brigades and the changes in seniority and markings that came with it. I've got a couple of books in the post that I hope will have the information I need! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Thanks for this - came across your website the other day. Appreciate the early war European info as this isn't as commonly found as the D-Day period All the best Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted July 9, 2020 Author Share Posted July 9, 2020 23 hours ago, SquireBev said: Yep, I'm trying to put together a visual timeline of the changes, with regiments swapping between brigades and the changes in seniority and markings that came with it. I've got a couple of books in the post that I hope will have the information I need! Unfortunately the book I was primarily relying on was never posted, and I've been issued a refund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDH Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 3 hours ago, SquireBev said: Unfortunately the book I was primarily relying on was never posted, and I've been issued a refund. What book was that? I may have it!! P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted July 9, 2020 Author Share Posted July 9, 2020 1 hour ago, PDH said: What book was that? I may have it!! P It was British Tanks and Formations 1939-45 by Malcolm Bellis. I already have his Divisions of the British Army and Brigades of the British Army and they've proven very useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDH Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 (edited) 23 minutes ago, SquireBev said: It was British Tanks and Formations 1939-45 by Malcolm Bellis. I already have his Divisions of the British Army and Brigades of the British Army and they've proven very useful. Yep, I have a copy!! This is the cover of the copy I have https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/i3Ebx6JRANVLhSBeGblq6IPo78fl-07sDTwV3oAJj8p3UUU7pmRLsdiBres5TnYZ1MJhwFkyYgis4ZbE0zJ2f_696hTQvO5pPwy9qSxrUyr268B4OH_sAVcsG9ekliSevJM38zDB4Tb18TUbPxZSaK8FHRPb_hzFF7HpbzoAOX1qb58lUswuwF5YTDRGnFeOHqO5PYkwwTBKt_jqCYTaowlfa43um8gD6HYySLlIBkqrJ1vkdzM1vtbbpbRiIRlkAKvv0Go2wYRpj2nWtxfH_c2iJz3XjqREG_PlrvAckBESVBDwK9HyTVnlz0R3sSiB8qj4FrgWNyeO49NueWjYt4iUH2jP_MLTY_jW1xVX_jJBt1EwqoY-djnai2ajdyNDElV9pR5Q7D3Qy0lATmm3kxRimNZMVSTTCYLJ9yywsATnr3prhxKNvkQVqJVK8kr-MilsKBiBbcbkFEokeo8ZBgpQU0M9lA44NRz55e_z2fbKusDT68zUPSN6XFgEXSOrvDR6nqjQda9-nKHrWeIg-TfIBN5SoZ8-S1FbHag2ft0n62ZFkdYlOrdKHaaozrmtzxrs2hnP5wzCjoVz9sqv19UrprEqeROpXLnjmqWrK9u_hZTVFhKDf8XHy9Avy0tXz5n8feSBIwNK473cuuU7QwxbtTUKBuF6r1w-qYmNGcX2VMhHsYSVs_3fh48=w300-h215-no?authuser=0 Very difficult to find. There is one on Amazon UK at £30-00 plus £2-80 at the moment and that is cheap. I'd be happy to scan it for you if it helps and send pages via email or possibly Goggle docs. PM me with your details and I'll see what I can do. It may take a few days to scan it all. HTH P Edited July 9, 2020 by PDH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted July 9, 2020 Author Share Posted July 9, 2020 22 minutes ago, PDH said: Yep, I have a copy!! This is the cover of the copy I have https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/i3Ebx6JRANVLhSBeGblq6IPo78fl-07sDTwV3oAJj8p3UUU7pmRLsdiBres5TnYZ1MJhwFkyYgis4ZbE0zJ2f_696hTQvO5pPwy9qSxrUyr268B4OH_sAVcsG9ekliSevJM38zDB4Tb18TUbPxZSaK8FHRPb_hzFF7HpbzoAOX1qb58lUswuwF5YTDRGnFeOHqO5PYkwwTBKt_jqCYTaowlfa43um8gD6HYySLlIBkqrJ1vkdzM1vtbbpbRiIRlkAKvv0Go2wYRpj2nWtxfH_c2iJz3XjqREG_PlrvAckBESVBDwK9HyTVnlz0R3sSiB8qj4FrgWNyeO49NueWjYt4iUH2jP_MLTY_jW1xVX_jJBt1EwqoY-djnai2ajdyNDElV9pR5Q7D3Qy0lATmm3kxRimNZMVSTTCYLJ9yywsATnr3prhxKNvkQVqJVK8kr-MilsKBiBbcbkFEokeo8ZBgpQU0M9lA44NRz55e_z2fbKusDT68zUPSN6XFgEXSOrvDR6nqjQda9-nKHrWeIg-TfIBN5SoZ8-S1FbHag2ft0n62ZFkdYlOrdKHaaozrmtzxrs2hnP5wzCjoVz9sqv19UrprEqeROpXLnjmqWrK9u_hZTVFhKDf8XHy9Avy0tXz5n8feSBIwNK473cuuU7QwxbtTUKBuF6r1w-qYmNGcX2VMhHsYSVs_3fh48=w300-h215-no?authuser=0 Very difficult to find. There is one on Amazon UK at £30-00 plus £2-80 at the moment and that is cheap. I'd be happy to scan it for you if it helps and send pages via email or possibly Goggle docs. PM me with your details and I'll see what I can do. It may take a few days to scan it all. HTH P Yep, that's the one. I'd found it for £15 plus P&P - should have known it was too good to be true! If you could send me some scans that'd be fantastic. I'll PM you this evening, hopefully! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDH Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 7 minutes ago, SquireBev said: Yep, that's the one. I'd found it for £15 plus P&P - should have known it was too good to be true! If you could send me some scans that'd be fantastic. I'll PM you this evening, hopefully! I'll look forward to the PM. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted July 23, 2020 Author Share Posted July 23, 2020 I've added Airborne Division organisation and markings: https://tank-markings.blogspot.com/p/europe-airborne-divisions.html 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 And a timeline of the changing composition of independent armoured and tank brigades during 1944-45: https://tank-markings.blogspot.com/p/independent-armoured-brigades.html Feedback, comments and corrections welcome as ever! 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Fantastic reference- thank you for this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardcastle Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 Love the website @SquireBev thanks for the hard work. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Hi Random question but I'm trying to identify the unit the jeep in the photo belongs to. On the left is the unit sign of 2nd Army but I can't identify the unit that aos 846 belongs to. I have a feeling it's on a green background but could be wrong. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:An_AFPU_(Army_Film_and_Photographic_Unit)_jeep_displaying_a_large_union_flag_drives_down_the_Champs_Elysees_in_Paris,_26_August_1944._BU89.jpg Any help appreciated Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Found it in warpaint vol3 which has a front shot of the same vehicle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 Both Hodges and Bellis have 846 listed as an RASC unit, suggesting it'd be a red/green background, but there's no detail as to the actual unit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Excellent - many thanks. That makes perfect sense as the jeep in the photo is from the Army Film and Photographic Unit which came under RASC control. Kind regards Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted August 14, 2020 Author Share Posted August 14, 2020 Corps-level markings, BEF 1940 and Normandy 1944: https://tank-markings.blogspot.com/p/europe-higher-formation-organisation.html As ever, comments, corrections and feedback all welcome! 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted August 14, 2020 Share Posted August 14, 2020 Fantastic resource - thank you 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 And now, at the risk of opening a massive can of worms regarding errors and omissons, my first attempt at diagrams for the 79th Armoured Division. Just snapshots for now - I'm still working on a timeline to show regiment and brigade movements, like the one for independent brigades posted higher up the page. If anyone can offer any more sources regarding regiment movements, please do! I'm getting bogged down flicking between Bellis booklets, with some regiments either being in two places at once, or disappearing completely! https://tank-markings.blogspot.com/p/79th-armoured-division.html 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-3s rule Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 Wow, this is great information. I have recently purchased Dick Taylor's 4 volume softcover set of "Warpaint - Colours and Markings of British Army Vehicles 1903-2003, and been impressed but there is so much to digest and I'm struggling a little with the format. You wouldn't happen to have a similar graphic showing the formation signs and markings on vehicles of British and Commonwealth units in the Western Desert would you? That would be immensely handy for a few kits I am looking to build soon, and hopefully use some spare decals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 11 minutes ago, P-3s rule said: Wow, this is great information. I have recently purchased Dick Taylor's 4 volume softcover set of "Warpaint - Colours and Markings of British Army Vehicles 1903-2003, and been impressed but there is so much to digest and I'm struggling a little with the format. You wouldn't happen to have a similar graphic showing the formation signs and markings on vehicles of British and Commonwealth units in the Western Desert would you? That would be immensely handy for a few kits I am looking to build soon, and hopefully use some spare decals. Only what's already on the website, unfortunately. Sources for North Africa are much harder to come by than those for NW Europe, and it only gets worse the earlier you go! https://tank-markings.blogspot.com/p/middle-east-armoured-divisions.html https://tank-markings.blogspot.com/p/middle-east-infantry-divisions.html 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 Well, here goes nothing... 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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