British Tank Markings - A Guide

[FramFramson]

Although I wouldn't use Wiki as the only primary source, for non-controversial topics it usually has useful information and there are typically links to references.

+1

[Redmist1122]

A most excellent resource!  Since I move from BEF to N. Africa to Normandy/Europe...this helps with painstaking adventure of looking up stuff.  I can't imaging the may hours vested.  Thanks again for the resource.

[SquireBev]

A most excellent resource!  Since I move from BEF to N. Africa to Normandy/Europe...this helps with painstaking adventure of looking up stuff.  I can't imaging the may hours vested.  Thanks again for the resource.

Happy to help!

[SquireBev]

Bit of a shameless plug, but I've started a Twitter account to run alongside the website: https://twitter.com/squire_bev

I thought it'd be useful to have one central place to post updates, and I'll also be posting brief histories of particular units and formations, along with snapshots of their structure and markings.

[Eclaireur]

Paging SquireBev!

I'm just looking at your 79th Armoured Division timeline and trying to puzzle out some stuff on Buffalo AoS markings. A penny for your thoughts ...

A couple of the commercial decal makers do sets for 11 RTR Buffalos in the Walcheren operation in November 1944. They show senior regiment (red) squadron marking and an AoS of 67 on red or, in the case of another commercially available set, a 54 on red.
Seems odd - either to have the 67 distinctive of the Middle East. Also odd to have the 67 or 54 with senior regiment markings, when neither AoS number went with that colour in their usual schemes.
Later when the 144 RAC regiment becomes the re-born 4 RTR, it also becomes a senior regiment in its brigade, but with an AoS of 55 on red, which at least does make sense as a legacy home service numbering scheme for the senior regiment in the second armoured brigade of an armoured division (from 1941). I have discussed this offline with Jemima Fawr and we never came to hard and fast conclusions.
Would be most interested in your view,
EC   

[Truscott Trotter]

I went with 1232 in light blue for mine 

[Jemima Fawr]

We did come to a hard and fast conclusion that it was sodding baffling... 

[SquireBev]

I aten't dead!

After a long hiatus I've managed to pull my finger out and write a separate page for Royal Artillery tactical markings:

https://tank-markings.blogspot.com/p/royal-artillery-tactical-signs.html

Comments, corrections, feedback etc all welcome!

[Jemima Fawr]

Excellent as always!

[forrester]

You've done a HUGE amount of work!

duly bookmarked

[bluewillow]

Very fine work sir!

Cheers
Matt

[Etranger]

From the macro to the micro. I turned up this interesting site for 8RB, the motor battalion in 11AD.  I hadn't previously realised that they didn't use A-D coys's but E (support), F, G, and H for the motor coys. Tac markings were in the usual green, but with platoon numbers etc within. http://8thriflebrigade.co.uk/vehicles-and-weapons/ with some nice photos.

[Jemima Fawr]

From the macro to the micro. I turned up this interesting site for 8RB, the motor battalion in 11AD.  I hadn't previously realised that they didn't use A-D coys's but E (support), F, G, and H for the motor coys. Tac markings were in the usual green, but with platoon numbers etc within. http://8thriflebrigade.co.uk/vehicles-and-weapons/ with some nice photos.

Thanks for that.  I didn't know what letters 8 RB used, but I did know that the RB gave all of their companies a unique letter, rather like the batteries of the RHA.  1 RB had A, B, & I Companies - I don't know if they used a letter for their Support Company.

[SquireBev]

It's been a bit of a nightmare to collate, but here's my first attempt at a timeline for the North African campaign.

Feedback and corrections welcome as ever.

If anyone can shed any more light on the 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades in 1940-41 I'd be very grateful, as I'm sure the 7th and 8th Hussars couldn't be in two places at once!

Apologies for the enormous image size. You might have to open them in a new tab to view them properly.

Middle East - Armoured Divisions

[Eclaireur]

Good to see you're back with a bang! 

I think you may need to find a way to make those screens render larger on the page. I'm finding it hard to magnify them to the point of legibility
EC