Wwii usa vehicle markings

[Little Jo]

Hi Lang and John

Thanks for getting back to me.

Lang. I would love to know what the ausie desert markings are. I have no idea what they were. The reason I asked for the star markings was because that was on the Jeep before I started the restoration and I thought I had to put it back. As I am going Desert I would prefer Ausie.

John. The chassis number is 163331.

Cheers

Tony

Little Jo

[Lang]

Tony,

Some pictures of Australian desert jeeps. There are a couple of early pre-standardisation jeeps that people would kill for now.

Asyou can see, the Australians did not go for lots of markings (although dirty white numbers etc may not show on photos). There is only one that you can see the Australian bonnet numbers under the windscreen. If you want to use this style I will give you the correct series.

Lang

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi Tony - I told you when you first became involved with military vehicles, you would be overwhelmed with the advice and comments from all quarters. No matter what you ask someone will come up with an answer. This is why I have constantly subscribed since early 2003. I have learnt so much and there is much more to learn.

Bob

[Little Jo]

Lang

Great photos, Yes please Lang I would love the Ausie details, surely the way to go and the Jeep should go that way.

Bob

I have only been on MLU since July 2010 and the information and advice readily supplied by MLU members world wide makes you feel you belong to a terrific bunch of people. As you know this is my first project and would not have gone so smoothly without the help from all you guys.

Cheers

Tony
Little Jo

[Lang]

Tony,

Have a think about a unit you want the markings for - perhaps a SA unit or one of someone you know or related to. You have 6,7,9 Division to choose from plus Australian GHQ and of course RAAF units.

The markings are very clearly set out in the instructions for unit identity to be carried on the vehicle. From all these photos it looks like the units in the field didn't give a rats about carrying regulation marking!

Most trucks did carry the unit markings.

Here is a photo of my Chev with "correct" markings (this style was introduced during the desert campaign and kept with slight modifications throughout the war) The jeep had the division and unit signs on the bottom panel of the windscreen. But again, from the photos - who cares!

Lang

[Blackpowder44 (RIP)]

I couldnt agree more with Lang when he says keep it Australian. At the time the Australian army was in the desert no invasion stars were used, on british vehicles an RAF roundell was on the bonnet. The British and Commonwealth armies were the first to use Jeeps in combat so lets commerate this fact and do your jeep up as an Aussie one, John.

[Little Jo]

Hi Lang and John

The photos of your vehicles look terrific. I can see what you mean and I agree "Keep it Australian", I may have been born in Holland, but I am a proud Australian, struth, I even won a marble in the lottery in to serve in the Australian Army. Lang your Tac plate looks like it could be Artillery.? As I live in South Australia I will go for an SA Unit. The 2nd-10th, served in the Middle East.

I have attached photos of when I purchased my Jeep and of the current stage of restoration.
Cheers

Tony
Little Jo