Sherman IC T-269916

[Maurice Donckers]

I am almost ready with the restauration of my Sherman IC with T number 269916. All markings came out from the side, but i only found on the rear left hand. Side the number 51.
Is there anybody who would know the divisional markings for this tank? And did it have a name on the rear of the turret

[Tim Bell]

Maurice

Hopefully someone has seen the number already.

If no answer on here, then on facebook I recommend you ask on the "Elgin Regt" group. The researchers there have tracked a lot of T numbers and maybe someone has found it already.

Considering where your vehicle ended up, like mine, it is very likely it was moved by the Elgins 25th Canadian Armoured Delivery Regt, and if so, issue to "51" would likely be the Governor General Foot Guards (though of course there were other regts deliveries were made to).

I was lucky - these (and other) pages exist for mine:

T-289477 - CAN-Microfilm T-12742 - Page 880.jpg T-289477 - CAN-Microfilm T-12742 - Page 881.jpg

I havent looked for your T number (yet) - sorry.

Good Luck

Tim

[Tim Bell]

With respect a name on the rear of the turret - mine didnt, instead this shipping number exists. Unsure exactly what the number means, but think likely it relates to the convoy the vehicle crossed the channel on since there are other images about which show Sherman and other tanks with very similar numbers. If anyone knows what these numbers are, would love to know please.

My Firefly

T289477-Bustle.jpg


Tanks awaiting shipping at Dover in 1944

FB_IMG_1706037979571.jpg


Comet at Gravelines France 1944/45

Comet-Gravelines-IWM.jpg


Firefly Apeldoorn 1945

firefly WS.jpg


And another in Utrecht 1945... NOTE - THIS IS 269921, only 2 away from yours!

Firely - Utrecht1945 - 1.jpg


Probable yours will have had a similar number on the rear.

Tim

[tankbarrell]

The Elgin Regt were the Armoured Delivery Regiment for all of 21st AG, as far as I know so being listed with them at some point doesn't mean it served with a Canadian unit.

[Tim Bell]

Originally Posted by tankbarrell

The Elgin Regt were the Armoured Delivery Regiment for all of 21st AG, as far as I know so being listed with them at some point doesn't mean it served with a Canadian unit.

True... Firefly in Nijmegen in 1944, 51 would likely indicate Grenadier Guards

Firefly-Nijmegen1944.jpg

No name at rear of turret - also lacking the shipping code seen on later vehicles.

I think a case of looking through the Elgin diaries to see if your number comes up and then hoping it shows which unit they issued it to or receipted from.

[Maurice Donckers]

Thanks all for the replys , under the 51 was also a bit of white paint, so maybe it had a white stripe underneath . Shipping msu triangle was also on it with code ord3 ll 606
4-g-4730
And of course link I ofI

[Jakko Westerbeke]

A white 51 on a red rectangle (it’s not quite square: 8.5 inches or 21.5 cm wide and 9.5 inches or 24 cm high) on the right front and right rear is the arm-of-service (AoS) marking, and indicates the senior regiment in the brigade, without saying which regiment that actually is. You would need to know the regiment you’re dealing with to be able to look up the division emblem to go with it — or alternatively, if you have the division emblem then you can look up the regiment from the number. Both depend on time and place, though.

A name is probably unlikely on the rear of the turret, those generally appeared on the hull sides.

Also: please don’t use a modern typeface like Helvetica, or even worse, Arial, for vehicle markings

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Hi Maurice,

Maybe the thread WW2 database of tank, carrier and vehicle names used by various regiments contains some useful info.