Markings

[Brink]

Under several layers of paint on the rear door of my C8A HUP I found a white sign across the door, it is 13 cm high and the letters are 3,5 cm high and red, saying"caustion right hand drive" ( see photo ) can this give me some information about the unit in which it served in WWII for Canada ?
If anyone has information please reply Thanks

[Jon Skagfeld]

Hello, Brink:

This sign was fairly common on C/F15 WIRE vehicles of the Royal Canadian Corps of in the 50s, 60s and up to the early 70s in Canada.

Domestically, the colour was white, not red as in your post. as if spray-painted over with a pre-cut template. (Using up surplus can s of paint held in inventory at the local LAD?).

This sign was mandatory at the time, in order to conform to Highway Traffic Act regulations, in Ontario.

Those were the "good ol' days" when it was illegal for a civilian vehicle to disrupt a military convoy on the highway. Military vehicles at the time had absoute right of way!

Since your scan shows the text in red, this might reflect the fact that, since Signal Corps unit identifiers were in red, perhaps some-one was just assumed that various other applicable vehicle signs should be in red as well.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Further to my last post:

I quote from the manual, "Canadian Army Manual of Vehicle Markings Ottawa, 1959"...

Section 11, Para 39: The sign...CAUTION-RIGHT HAND DRIVE- NO SIGNALS...is in 2" white letters painted or stencilled on the rear of the vehicle.

So, who knows... perhaps some unknown RCEME/REME Craftsman dipped his brush into the nearest available paint can and there you have it.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Damn...first post should read "Royal Canadian Corps of Signals...sorry.

[Brink]

Hi Jon Skagfeld
Thanks for your reply the only comment I have is that my C8A has come from the Canadian forces in Germany direct to the Danish Armed forces in 1945-46 so it has never been in Canada in 1950-60 or70. So do you think/know that the Signal Corps has used the same marking in WWII

Poul Brink