Prince Rupert Regiment MG

[Shayne]

Can anyone tell me what the vehicle markings would have been for this regiment?

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by Shayne

Can anyone tell me what the vehicle markings would have been for this regiment?

Hi Shayne;

If your talking in terms of the Arm of Service and Formation Sign used, the answer would be none.

The regiment was authorized as a Reserve Unit of the Canadian Army (Reserve), with localization at Prince Rupert, British Columbia, under the designation of the 1st (Reserve) Battalion, The Prince Rupert Regiment (M.G.), effective 29 October 1942. The regiment as a whole or in part, were never placed on 'Active Service', nor were they ever part of a Reserve Brigade Group. The regiment was disbanded effective 31 March 1946, having spent approx. 3½ years as a Reserve Unit of the Canadian Army (Reserve), located at Prince Rupert, British Columbia, as part of the 14th (Reserve) Infantry Brigade.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

[Shayne]

I just got my father's attestation papers and it seems he lied about his age in order to enlist and was a part of this unit from July 1944 until September 1945.

So they would have had no vehicles and if they did they would have had no markings?

[servicepub (RIP)]

Not quite. They wouldn't have had overseas markings but there was a marking scheme for vehicles of the Canadian Army - as opposed to the Canadian Army (Overseas) (CA(O)) - that remained in Canada.
Typically the door would be marked in three lines, i.e.,

P. R. Regt (or Pr. Rup. Regt.)
M
40-3-275

I don't have my references here at work but the first line is the official abbreviation of the Unit, the second line shows the class of vehicle, the third is the Cdn Army Reg Number. The latter changed at some point in 1941 and the meaning changed. Initially the first two characters represented the year (1940) in which the vehicle was acquired while the rest of the numbers represented the sequential acquisition number of the vehicle (3,275th vehicle obtained that year).
Although there was no AoS to Canadian Army vehicles the vehicle would show the formation (6th, 7th or 8th Division, or Atlantic or Pacific Force) although these came and went and careful OrBat research is required.

[Shayne]

Excellent.
ANY information would be welcome.

Initially I was going to mark the truck as King's Own Calgary (I have two uncles who served in that regiment... in the same tank in fact) and use my father's birthday as the registration number (4111927) on the door but after learning my father was in the military I may do the truck that way.

I realize any of these will be completely inaccurate to the actual vehicle but for me a family tribute is far more important than historical accuracy specific to a vehicle.

My Uncle John, who is still living, was a DonR for the Calgary Tanks until around Ortona where he became a driver in a Honey Recce. When the unit transfered to NWE in 1945 he recieved a new Recce tank, this time turreted. My Uncle George who was with the 7th Medium Artillery asked for a transfer and became John's co-driver. Unfortunately my father and Uncle George have passed away but I hope to have the truck presentable for Uncle John to see.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Hi Shayne;

As Clive (aka servicepub) mentioned, the 'three line' typical markings would have been used by the 1st (Reserve) Battalion, The Prince Rupert Regiment (M.G.),

Originally Posted by servicepub

Typically the door would be marked in three lines, i.e.,

P. R. Regt (or Pr. Rup. Regt.)
M
40-3-275

but they would not have displayed the formation sign of either of the 6th, 7th or 8th Canadian Divisions, nor would they have displayed the (if any) formation sign of Pacific Command.

From authorization to disbandment, the 1st (Reserve) Battalion, The Prince Rupert Regiment (M.G.), remained a unit of the Canadian Army (Reserve) and were never placed on 'Active Service' as a component of any of the Brigade Groups of the 6th, 7th or 8th Canadian Divisions, nor did they ever serve as a component of either the 39th (Reserve) Brigade Group or 41st (Reserve) Brigade Group, which although they were themselves made up of units of the Canadian Army (Reserve) and not on 'Active Service', provided the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Pacific Command a 'tactical reserve'.

Cheers

[servicepub (RIP)]

Mark is correct. This will teach me not to reply without my references in front of me.

[Bill Alexander]

Additional to the discussion. The Pacific Command formation patch worn by troops on the establishment of Pacific Command was the green diamond patch.