Unit ID (and a CMP in the background)

[Rich Payne]

These two images recently came through from a Canadian eBay purchase.(Didn't intend to export your cultural heritage but there were no other bidders )

I'd be interested to know the unit if that's possible and the background to the vehicle markings. An exact vehicle ID would also be nice. The pictures came from Nova Scotia.



Both front motorcycle and the truck CZ4204994 carry a '68' Arm of Service insignia and the rear bike and the truck also carry the marking '20084' - In the case of the motorcycle, this is on the front and rear number plates which is not something I've seen before. This rear machine also looks to have a light-coloured Maple leaf on the fuel tank.

The rider is also on this print dated 1940 but no visible unit insignia. I would guess that the vehicle picture is a little later. Perhaps Spring 1941 ?



Rich

[cletrac (RIP)]

The truck is an 8 cwt Personnel version but I can't see anything to tell if it's a Ford or a Chev. It has the three seats in the back and you can tell that they're vinyl covered. The 68 on the motorcycle fender is also on the truck tailgate.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by Rich Payne

I'd be interested to know the unit if that's possible and the background to the vehicle markings. An exact vehicle ID would also be nice. The pictures came from Nova Scotia.

Both front motorcycle and the truck CZ4204994 carry a '68' Arm of Service insignia and the rear bike and the truck also carry the marking '20084

Hi Rich;

I believe that the vehicles and soldier pictured belong to the Carleton and York Regiment of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division.

The Arm of Service serial '68' was that which was assigned to the Carleton and York Regiment (from approx. 28 May 1940 onwards).

The AoS serial '68' is in white on a brown background and the formation sign of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division was that of a gold (or yellow) maple leaf centrally located on a red background (from approx. 28 May 1940 onwards).

I have no idea what the marking '20084' is for, this has come up before but I haven't come across anything to date to explain this marking.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

[Rich Payne]

Thanks Mark, that's great information and it would have taken me a very long time to find it (assuming that I managed it).

Is it the only the number '20084' that appears or are there others in the sequence ? The quality of the lettering suggests to me that it was more than a local adaptation.

This is probably a very ill-informed musing but was it originally intended that the whole Division be sent to France in 1940 and could the vehicles have been marked ready for shipment ?

Rich

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by Rich Payne

Thanks Mark, that's great information and it would have taken me a very long time to find it (assuming that I managed it).

Is it the only the number '20084' that appears or are there others in the sequence ? The quality of the lettering suggests to me that it was more than a local adaptation.

This is probably a very ill-informed musing but was it originally intended that the whole Division be sent to France in 1940 and could the vehicles have been marked ready for shipment ?

Rich

Hi Rich;

In regards to the number '20084', I have seen a similar sequence of numbers on Canadian vehicles in photos from the winter/spring of 1945, but haven't yet found what they represent.

Your musing is not "ill-informed", the 1st Division, C.A.S.F (and ancillary units) were to have been part of the Second B.E.F.

Cheers