F60L Recent pics

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Ganmain Tony

I have been making that TAC sign holder as a copy from the original I got from Max. I would like to put a divisional marking in it of some relevance to my grandfather but the question was... which one? Grandpa was originally with the 21st light horse after doing some research, it seems they were shifted all over the place and re-assigned repeatedly to different units during the war. This made it very difficult pick one sign & my poor old grandfather simply cant remember.

If you're looking for "correctness" Tony you'll need to paint the Divisional sign on the guard, and use the plate holder for the unit sign. Which gives you another problem - what unit sign to use! I can't make out the unit serial on your carrier image, but the background looks to be two-colour horizontal...possibly green over blue denoting Divisional Cavalry Regt...? Mike will be of more help than me here.

Another option would be to choose a different period of your grandfather's service and depict the Division and unit in which he served at that time. That would enable you to choose the period he considers most significant himself, if it doesn't happen to be the one in the photo. If he's a bit hazy on the details you can always get them from his service record. If it happens to be after mid '44 you can use a fractionated unit sign, which allows you to display his actual unit designation. Anyway, just a suggestion, and it may solve your penguin problems!

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

If it happens to be after mid '44 you can use a fractionated unit sign, which allows you to display his actual unit designation.

Just to clarify - the fractionated system introduced in mid-'44 displayed the actual unit designation, eg. 2/12th Field Regiment in the pic below, rather than a coded number as used previously. Full identification was given by the background colour (denoting arm of service) and the coded lower number (denoting unit type), eg:

2-12 on Red & Blue Horizontal (Artillery) over 74 (Fd. Regt.) = 2/12th Field Regiment
2-12 on Red (Infantry) over 56 (Inf. Bn.) = 2/12th Battalion
2-12 on Blue (Engineers) over 60 (Fd. Coy.) = 2/12th Field Company
2-12 on Brown (Medical) over 57 (Fd. Amb.) = 2/12th Field Ambulance

[Private_collector]

Like this one I did for my truck.
TAC Plate - Unit side.jpg
In this case it is 29/46 Inf. Btn.
Sorry, I don't have a photo of the 'PASS' side at hand just now.

[Ganmain Tony]

Thanks to both Tony's and Mike for some very handy information.

Still building the whole picture here but have some supportive evidence that the choice of TAC sign holder is correct.

I was going through my disassembly note's along with some unused or broken bolts in containers, when I found the one that contained the passenger side headlight bolts.

In it I found this...the piece on the left.

That makes two Cab 12's with this style of TAC holder Ive seen. I noticed there is a picture of one on here that also has this TAC holder.

The 12 Cab we got the original TAC holder off up at Max's also had a bridge plate attached where Ive got mine. I also dont think it was a coincidence that the holes between the B plate and the guard lined up exactly.

I remember someone on this forum saying "Throw NOTHING away"

[Ganmain Tony]

After re-examining that picture of the Bren Gun Carrier on the beach, the unit designation (I think) has to be either 82 or 92.

Im tending to lean towards 92

I agree with your assessment Tony W, the colour should be (most likely) green over blue as they were considered to be a cavalry regiment.

Im 99% sure the picture was taken in 1942, down around Nowra NSW.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Ganmain Tony

After re-examining that picture of the Bren Gun Carrier on the beach, the unit designation (I think) has to be either 82 or 92.

Im tending to lean towards 92

Im 99% sure the picture was taken in 1942, down around Nowra NSW.

Hi Tony,

92 was my best guess too, however that would indicate Tasmania Force post Jan '43 so I dismissed it. However I notice the image file is named 7 Mile Beach, and there's a 7 Mile Beach near Hobart as well as Nowra. I don't suppose that could be a possibility...?

I dismissed 82 because it's clearly on a horizontally divided background and the only possibility there is Arty.

As mentioned you may need your grandfather's service record to determine the unit. I found my father's service record invaluable in figuring out his numerous postings with the RAAF and RAF.

[Mike Cecil]

Tonys,

92 ... Green over Blue Horizontally divided ... Divisional Cavalry Regiment within an Infantry Division, as of May 1942. Revised July 1942 to read 'Div Cav Regt or Recce Bn' with same Unit sign number and background colours. (The number first issued for AMF Inf Div Recce Units was '41' with a blue/green background. This was amended in May '42 to '92', with same background )

There were several uses of both 92 and 82 within the AMF during the war, with various coloured backgrounds, but this is the one that fits the best. Others included such things as decontamination units - and I can't see them using MG carriers.

The question is: is it applicable to a Ford 3 ton GS? The answer is yes: like most mobile units, the Div Cav units had their own integral support transport, albeit in very small numbers.

So, Ganmain Tony, a very applicable Unit sign to go in your Unit sign holder on your Cab 12 GS. Perhaps you might also consider a 2-tone (base colour plus one disruptive colour) disruptive cam pattern to top it off, with the 2 Div Formation sign within the disruptive colour?

Mike C