Markings and Insignia for Armour in the BEF

Here's a cracking shot of a carrier named 'Friar Tuck' and carrying the AoS '22'. I can see no trace of a formation sign.



The seller captioned the image as Louvain / Leuven but I suspect from the scenery that it is slightly further south along the Dyle than 3 Div's positions around Leuven. Could these have belonged to the carrier platoon of 1st Royal Berkshires from 2 Div ?

I wonder if it is these mentioned many years ago on MLU ?

Bren Carriers of the British Expeditionary Force recovered - MLU FORUM

Brief mention here. As ever, the Carrier Platoon was being used as a rear guard. I have the DWR History and War Diary if you want me to check?

 

1 DWR's diary might be interesting (please !). 2 Forresters appear to have been right on the boundary with 2 Div if they were to have relieved 1 RWF at Ottenburg.

 

No real mention although the Dukes lost three carriers in the same place.

 

This photo from the same source marked 'Kaserne Löwen' (Barracks Leuven) shows a carrier carrying AoS '21' - Again no formation sign visible but quite likely to be 1 DWR (if it's not 2 Lincolns from 3 Div).



Andy, would it be taking the proverbial to ask if there is anything in 3 Inf Bde diary over the loss of carriers on the Dyle line ?

 

Good call Rich !

 

GOTCHA !!!

These are likely to be the hulls that were mentioned in the MLU article too.

It would seem that recovery was not considered realistic by the Germans either.

You can read 3 Brigade's frustration with 2nd Div's unpredictability on their right flank. Even at this early stage, 2 Div's commander, Loyd was showing signs of stress and was about to be replaced.

 

There is still and few Q's though in that pic. Those chaps are wearing white fatigues which are worn for training? I wonder if they were tasked with a recovery exercise? The carriers look like they are on a road but looking at the tracks they could have been bogged down as they are caked with mud. Maybe they were dragged out hence the mud still in the tracks?

I can't say I've seen any pics before of Germans wearing 'whites' in France.

 

The photos come from a set of dated around August 1940 in the Leuven area. The clothing are the undyed off-white cotton herringbone twill fatigue uniforms and are not normally seen in May / June 1940 images but these photos are of course occupied Belgium with little need for camouflage. The cotton work uniforms were later replaced by similar items died green.

The track that they're on looks to be more of a forestry trail (the civilian looks like an estate manager or some such). At that time, it is unlikely that motorised equipment was being used for forestry so many of the trails would only have been suitable for horse work.

It would appear that the Germans also found recovery of the hulls too much work but they stripped them right out. Shaun on MLU has now posted a photo of the three hulls before they were recovered to the Belgian Army Museum. I wonder if they still exist ?

Bren Carriers of the British Expeditionary Force recovered - MLU FORUM

 

Rumour has it they have been binned... if i find this is true you have no idea how raged i will be... carriers are rare... but actual brens are considered as rare as the ark !

 

Great detective work . Like Rich says , what a shame they weren't left where they were in the woods , as an interesting memorial to the battle.

 

Another Matilda:







Jan

 

Another Matilda:







Jan

Thanks Jan,

It looks like RMY 950 which should make it T.5596.

Cheers
Kevin

 

Hi

Attached is a recent ebay picture that shows a Damiler Scout Car with the name "Nelson" that I think is from HQ 1st Armoured Division. This coupled with other pictures of "Hood" perhaps suggests that Scount Cars of Div HQ were named after Admirals. What do others think?

Jamie

 

It seems very likely as the armoured school adopted plenty of naval terminology.

But, on the evidence presented, I can't rule out the handiwork of a very keen Equality and Diversity Officer in Div HQ (under the CRE, no doubt). A photo of either 'Beatty' or 'Booty' would clinch it.

 

I don't think I've seen this one on here before. Either 27 Fd Regt (1 Corps) or 97 Fd Regt (3 Corps), but I can't see a Corps sign to clinch it!

Chris

Admin: This should probably be on the 'Army Troops markings' thread so delighted if you move it.

 

JHUNT

Attached is a recent ebay picture that shows a Damiler Scout Car with the name "Nelson" that I think is from HQ 1st Armoured Division


is that the correct picture?

Please please please repost the one with the Dingo named Nelson (this does not ring any bells with me)
thanks

singe

 

Hi

Attached is a recent ebay picture that shows a Damiler Scout Car with the name "Nelson" that I think is from HQ 1st Armoured Division. This coupled with other pictures of "Hood" perhaps suggests that Scount Cars of Div HQ were named after Admirals. What do others think?

Jamie

I`d say that is definitely HQ 1 ARMD DIV.
Singe, check out post #201

Malcolm

 

Hi

Attached is a recent ebay picture that shows a Damiler Scout Car with the name "Nelson" that I think is from HQ 1st Armoured Division. This coupled with other pictures of "Hood" perhaps suggests that Scount Cars of Div HQ were named after Admirals. What do others think?

Jamie

Or Battleships?

Malcolm

 

here is an enlargement of the centre of the photo, showing the top of the scount car with the name "Nelson"

 

Hawk:



Jan