Info needed: correct colours for WWII Aust vehicles

[simon king]

Preparation for Overseas Movement -effectively the same as the individual unit code number. US and Commonwealth Unit COs received the same order to mark vehicles in the run up to D-Day.

What I’m not sure though is whether the orders included the same number/colour combinations for US and Commonwealth units. The US colours seem to differ from the acknowledged Commonwealth combinations used from BEF days onwards, yet I think the order was addressed to all Allied Commanding Officers from SHAEF, suggesting that there was a commonality in the combinations.

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Simon,

Thank you: had not heard the term before. The US system had colour differences (see bolding below), and there was some minor overlap with the 5-digit number codes (mostly with Brit units assigned to other theatres of operation, so there was no possibility of number conflict anyway).

The number/colours were:
Number....... US....... Brit/Commonwealth
1...... Buff...... Red
2...... OD ......... Blue
3...... Yellow.......... Yellow
4...... Light Green......... Light Green
5 ...... Grey......... Grey
6...... Blue......... Buff
7...... Maroon.......... Red Oxide of Iron
8...... Red........ Service Colour (ie KG3)
9 ....... White........ White
0....... Dark Brown....... Dark Brown

I seem to remember the US Army had been using the system since at least Op Torch, and most probably soon after US units started arriving in England, but I'd have to locate the article in Army Motors to confirm that.

Aust and NZ were issued the USNs in blocks by the War Office from the beginning of the war. The Canadians had their own system of USNs not related to the War Office numbering system. Australia was still using the same system well into the 1960s.

Maybe we should begin a new thread on this, rather than hijacking Jane/Tony's/Lang's colourful cammo discussion?

Mike