Peculiar tactical signs on British Humber armoured cars, Italy

Hi all,

This markings related question is prompted by a post over on the missing-lynx forum. I'll repost the pictures here.

Peculiar tactical signs on British Humber armoured cars, Italy

The two photos are obviously of Humber armoured cars. The first photo is of a vehicle of 1st Infantry Division, at least on the basis of the triangular marking on the left front mudguard. However, it also has two markings which look like a circle with a quarter removed, albeit the lower right quarter, which is similar to the emblem of 4th Infantry Division,

The second photo is a captured Humber armoured car reportedly from 4th Infantry Division, but I guess that identification is being made based on the insignia on the turret.

However, as I understand it, a 4th Infantry Division insignia would have the UPPER LEFT quadrant detached. The other thing I'm wondering about is whether 4 Div ever actually used an outlined emblem or not. Does anyone know of photos of armoured cars/carriers/trucks of 4 Div? I came up empty trying to find any on the iwm website.

The poster on missing-lynx wonders if these 3/4 circular insignia are actually squadron identification markings.

 

Regarding the tac signs, they may gave been numbering cars through squadrons, so we're looking at C Sqn cars 11 and 6. That's ignoring any significance of the location of the missing quadrant or the colour of the 'circle'...

There are some other shots of Isle of Ely here, one of which hints at a dark div flash - 56 Div, maybe? It might be an idea to crayon 'recce' over the title to see if it attracts the experts.

Edit: link would help:
Humber AC page 2

 

According to Waffen Arsenal Band 146, "Beutepanzer unterm Balkenkreuz" that Humber was captured by 4. Fallschirmjäger- Division.
These vehices were never distributed but instead used solely by units who captured them (Lüdeke, Beutepanzer der Wehrmacht)

 

I'm not seeing anything in the photos to indicate a dark divisional flash but seeing the marking on the back of the turret as well reminds me that divisional flashes were painted in specific places.

I agree that it looks like a squadron-vehicle marking. Possibly the missing quadrant identified the squadron?

 

I have found a few pictures of Humber armoured cars, probably belonging to 1st Recce Rgt, 1st Infantry Division, with a very unusual tactical sign. the sign is a circle with a quadrant removed, and a number in place of it. The circle might be filled with colour, and in some cases it shows a white bar below. Here are the pictures:

1st Recce Regiment, 23rd June 1944



An Humber captured by a German parachutist unit, showing the same type of tac sign:





eventually an Humber from 1st Recce Rgt. in Palestine, with the tac sign obliterated by the censor, but clearly a circle with a bar below.

Does anyone have any idea about this unconventional system of markings? Can the missing quadrant be an indication of the Squadron, and the number of the Troop? Does anyone know some more pictures of this unit? thank you, best regards