I've just recd a copy of the new book 'Unit Serial Numbers from the First US Army Build Up Priority Tables List 'A'' by Major and Montbertrand. The book provides a list of unit serials and three-colour bar codes for most of the US units that landed on D-Day, and as such, is a most interesting addition to the research library.
What I find puzzling - and I'm sure other British and British Commonwealth readers will also find the same - is the total absence of
any reference to the real origin of this system. The authors state that '...in order to expedite the identification process, a colour bar code system was devised...'. This, together with other statements, lead one to conclude that this was something unique, US-devised and totally new.
But, of course, it was not. In fact, the US system as applied to D-Day and D-Day plus units was a direct copy of the British/British Commonwealth system that had been in operation since at least 1940. The 2nd AIF (That's Second Australian Imperial Force, just so youse non-Aussies understand, right?) Standing Orders for 1940 provide a detailed description of the Unit Serial Number and 3-bar colour code system, which is pretty much the same description as that of the US system applied to D-Day Units nearly 3 1/2 years later. There are some very minor variations to the colours assigned to the figures, but essentially the US system copies the British Commonwealth system
verbatim. I think the book's impact as a sound piece of research is diminished by not making that ackowledgement.
Any body else seen the book, and like to comment?
Mike C