Naming vehicles

Often read accounts of British forces naming their vehicles, esp tanks. Was this an officialy reconsided practice or done unofficially in the field and serving no other purpose than a squad ID at most??

Any other combatants names their tanks?

Kev

 

They named SPG's after church positions, the last being the Abbot

 

They named SPG's after church positions, the last being the Abbot


No no, I mean like Chester, or Spitefull, or Jeremy. That sort of thing, Sorry I am not being clear.

Kev

 

No Kev, means painting names onto the vehicles.
Like this Wilts Yeomanry Sherman, Cricklade, also seen Devizes, Barford St Martin and so on.



See Owen knows what im blathering on about, pretty scary really.....



Interesting colour scheme on that lovely M4.

 

Names seem to have appeared on all sorts of vehicles but it is mostly on armour that they seem to be official, reflecting Squadron etc. Presumably a cavalry thing. Couldn't get out of the habit of naming horses.

 

No no, I mean like Chester, or Spitefull, or Jeremy. That sort of thing, Sorry I am not being clear.

Kev

ahh sorry for my error. I don't know, one for Gerry i agree

 

Hi Kev,

"The Churchill I crewed, Ballyrashane, was hit on her starboard side, 23rd May 1944."

It goes back to WW I when tanks were first called 'Landships'. Hence naming them, use of the feminine gender, and employment of nautical terminology. For more information see:
AFVs and the RTR - Page One

Interestingly, the 'male' Marks with 6-pdrs mounted in the 'sponsons' were oft-times given female names.

Cheers, Gerry

 

Didn't they used to name the planes aswell. Doris, betty etc...

 

Hi Kev,

"The Churchill I crewed, Ballyrashane, was hit on her starboard side, 23rd May 1944."

It goes back to WW I when tanks were first called 'Landships'. Hence naming them, use of the feminine gender, and employment of nautical terminology. For more information see:
AFVs and the RTR - Page One

Interestingly, the 'male' Marks with 6-pdrs mounted in the 'sponsons' were oft-times given female names.

Cheers, Gerry


Gerry,

Wasi t an official designation. Whould indiviual vehicles be refered to a divsional level by their names, woulds it carry any officail weight? I guess every vehile had a serial number, would the name ever be used instead of the number?

Kev

 

Photos of my late brother's plane, shot down over Nuremberg in March 1945, bore the name TARFU, (Things are really f****d up)
It was not until fairly recently that I discovered (on Military slang at AllExperts)
how commonplace this name apparently was in the RAF.

 

Hi Kev,

My answers are based as things were in WW II - I suspect substantially today also. Additional to the esprit de corps factor, prominately displayed names, together with other insignia, had an important role to play during battle.
Was it an official designation?

Yes, together with the other recognition insignia. Unit COs were completely free to chose whatever names they wanted. Insignia colours, design and its placement being governed by RAC rules.
Would individual vehicles be referred to a divisional level by their names, would it carry any official weight?
No and no.
I guess every vehicle had a serial number, would the name ever be used instead of the number?

Again no.

To the best of my knowledge, the use of names on tracked vehicles is the only one to have official approval.

Cheers, Gerry

 

I'm looking at a book called "British Tank Markings and Names", B.T.White, Arms and Armour Press, 1978.

In general terms this is a very varied subject, names could be entirely at whim in some regiments, in others they would have the same initial according to squadron. I'm a bit strapped for time now, but I can quote from the book later.

 

Hi Kev,

My answers are based as things were in WW II - I suspect substantially today also. Additional to the esprit de corps factor, prominately displayed names, together with other insignia, had an important role to play during battle.

Yes, together with the other recognition insignia. Unit COs were completely free to chose whatever names they wanted. Insignia colours, design and its placement being governed by RAC rules.

No and no.

Again no.

To the best of my knowledge, the use of names on tracked vehicles is the only one to have official approval.

Cheers, Gerry


Thanks Gerry, I think I get it. Names where a semi offical thing used by the front line troops, and guys at the lunt end. Official references and records would be to the vehicles serial registatation number.

And the horse and ship conenction I never clicked. Did the Germans ever do this, I think Ive seen pics of US tanks with unofficial names. Just seemed a more regular thing in the Brish Army. Unusual cos In theRAf it was frowned upon wasnt it, While the US air force it was common practice.

BTW I love the detail of WW2, its the little things that you cant read about and gets you into the head of the guys who where there. Thanks.

Kev

 

great web page.

Didnt realise this was based on fact.

Shiney-arse : (UK) Regimental Admin Officers and those in similar desk-bound posts. The green polyester "barrack trousers" formerly worn by Army office workers did indeed acquire a certain shine to the seat after prolonged contact with an office chair.;

Also

JANFU

and

HANO : (US) "High Altitude No Opening", a parachut jump in which the parachute fails to open, usually with fatal results

and

FISH : "Fighting In Someone's House

 

Love the Staghounds named after the 7 Dwarfs!
Great resource.

According to 'British tank names and Markings' the Staghounds of HQ 1st Arm. Div. were first used on it's Valentines when they were the HQ squadron of 6th Arm. Div.
Snow White was a favourite name, her portrait also adorns the differential housing of Sherman belonging to 5th Guards Arm. Brig.

and I thought that I remembered the Snow White and the 7 dwarves thing from another place. Here is a picture of a recce platoon of carriers from the South African Armoured Corps in Italy. From George Forty's 'British Army Handbook'. Once again Snow White and the 7 Dwarves, the Jeep is called Prince Charming.