Numbers

[Bob McNeill]

This question is most probably only of use to us aussies, but here goes, when repainting my short 25 Aust. the numbers found under several coats of various green was 61032. painted on front half of trail left hand side. I,ve not found a similar numbering system on the Std 25. thanks

[Mike Cecil]

Did you also find the yellow over blue over yellow horizontal stripes below the number?

Number was in white, possibly with numeral sizes around 1 to 2 inches in height: am I right?

Do you have an image of the marking, please?

Mike C

[Bob McNeill]

Mike, you are correct again, the numbers were white but we did not find any other colours and only visable on left hand side in 2" high. Have got second frame so will go carefully. Thanks.

[Bob McNeill]

Mike I didn,t have any pics BUT the owner of the jeep had this one. the second pic is dads first short 25 they dealt with in Nth Qld,

[Mike Cecil]

So I see the pic has a shield in place: was your dad with 2/1 Aust Field Regt? They were supplied with the early version of the 25pdr (Short) for trials in early 1943, which included the shield.

As for the numbers, they have a meaning and are not the gun's registration number, but the Unit Serial Number (USN). The USN 61032 was the USN for 2/1st Aust Field Regiment (Jungle Scale), so I think without any doubt, your 25pdr (Short) is a combat veteran.

Mike C

[Bob McNeill]

Mike, thanks, Dad was was 2/9th and they eventually had 2 short 25s at different times, one before 18 battery went to Dutch NG and one after. I,ve been lucky enough to obtain a shield for a short 25 which has 2/4th written on it. Checked my other frame and couldn,t come up with anything of value. Dad is third on left in Nth Qld, in Canberra in last and he still doesn,t like the Short.