Lang,
I too have been back to basics, and dug out some additional 'stuff'. I don't profess to having all the various markings instructions, but I have quite a few, that's for sure.
On 28 December 1939, an order was raised on Fossey and Poole of 59 Francis St, Melbourne, for 12 stencils 'to be in accordance with attached diagram and made from No.11 zinc as per sample submitted'. I have a copy of the order and diagram that went with it. The stencils were required urgently, and the diagram was a leaping kangaroo, as per the penny, and without the horrible extra lump on the neck as per AIF GS Instruction No.34 of Jan 1942. So at least the first lot of stencils provided to 6 Div pre-deployment were correct as approved.
On 5 February 1940, the the CGS sent a Memo to the Military Liaison Officer in London, headed 'Divisional Sign 6th Division AIF'. The text states 'forwarding herewith one copy of the sign selected for 6th Division....' The sign attached is as per the Aust penny, with no 'hump' on the 'roos neck. To me, those two diagrams, plus the one referred to in my earleir post, make it pretty clear what the approved sign was.
I also looked at the 6 Div ROs for 1944, and in that pam it includes a very stylised rendition of the leaping kangarro (no hump on the neck) as the approved 6 Div sign, and on the next page where it shows the sign combined with the Unit sign, it has a drawing that is the same or similar to that in GS Ins no.34, ie 'roo with lumpy neck!
I think its clear that the approved sign from 1939, as per the quotes above, was the leaping kangaoo over a boomerang, the 'roo being from the penny, but I agree that some lousy interpretations and drawings at various times are what followed. Our difference is, it seems, in which one we each think was the official one.
Mike C
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