Unknown Insignia on British Ammo box

I found this British ammo box in an antique store in The Netherlands, does anyone know what this insignia means?

 

Maybe 1st Div ??

TD

 

That could be, but I don't know if they also painted insignia on ammo boxes. The box is from 1940 so it could be from the 1st infantry division.

 

Post war, war surplus ammo boxes were used in their thousands by civvie organisations. For example many lorry drivers travelling into Europe would keep their tools, maps etc etc in one. Can you be certain that that is a British Army insignia?

 

I am sure the 1st infantry division used a white triangle as their insignia. On this picture you can see they painted it on their vehicles. I am sure this is a british ammo box

 

Of course it is but that doesn't mean that incredibly obscured symbol is a British Military Symbol unless you know the history of that box.

 

I know for sure that this symbol was used by the 1st infantry division. It's their insignia. I don't know the history of the box because it's from an antique store. My question is are their any cases known where divisions would paint their insignia on ammo boxes? Maybe for personal items or such? Here you can also see their insignia in the picture I added

 

I think if you were going to 'brand' something as 'yours', your unit (battalion/regiment) marking would make more sense than the div flash - too many people could claim it.

The triangle might be the remains of a warning sign, perhaps?

 

Yes I agree, but they are not remains, it's white paint.

 

Good thought. Back in the late 60s the ex British.army ammo boxes in which my father's firm carried radio active isotopes used for X raying welding joints on gas pipelines were marked with warning triangles. When examining material from "antique" shops one should be careful of seeing what one wants to see

 

Well I did not buy it because of this triangle but because the box is in really good shape for it's age. I was just curious about what it could be.

 

It could at some time have been attached, perhaps by welding or by some other less permanent means, to a tank or other vehicle (a common way of making extra stowage space) in such a way that it obscured the divisional sign. In such a case, a new sign might well have been painted on the box.
Chris

 

If it was welded to a tank how could it have ended up in an antique shop?

 

dewelded

TD

 

Lot of trouble to obtain an ammo box

 

That would depend on how much someone wants the box, and how easy it would be to 'deweld' - it might only be a couple of spot welds with the box being held in some form of retainer

TD

 

Maybe it's a secret code symbol meaning "Nowt in here but spare fags and tart's phone numbers."

 

Ooooh - hadnt thought of that one - trust you

TD

 

Example of dewelded

 

Do they still offer an apprenticeship in dewelding?