War Department Numbers

[servicepub (RIP)]

I have a number of documents at home, issued at intervals, that list the blocks of WD numbers allocated to the Canadian Army Overseas (CAO). The numbers were not allocated as 420,000 to 450,000 for Jeeps (as an example) but could be 420,000 to 421,500 then 443,700 to 444,600, etc....
In addition to the large blocks in the 4xx,xxx range, the early days of the war saw a numbering system in the 117,000 range (from memory so don't hold me to this).
These different systems were based on the vehicle being under the control of either the Service Corps or of the Master General of the Ordnance (MGO). By 1941 these distinctions disppeared and all vehicles in the early block were re-numbered with numbers from the later block. This will explain why lorries made in 1940 could have a WD number that follows a lorry made in 1941.
Still with WD numbers - at the beginning of the war the CAO rented vehicles from the War Office. As these were not the property of the CAO the WD numbers were those applied by the British - not even the "c" prefix was permitted. I have some of these lists as well.
Unfortunately, all of these documents are at home - and I am not. I will try to remember to update this in November when I am back in God's country.

[Phil Waterman]

Here is one picture from a batch I bought on E-bay a few years ago all of the pictures are posted on http://www.canadianmilitarypattern.c...20Columbia.htm . The picture below is the only one where the number is readable. Z57-092

Just added blow-up of door number

Cheers Phil

CMP service photos 10-20-06 13 with text for web.jpg door number.jpg