Unusual Canadian Army Camo Pattern

[David Dunlop]

I ran across this photo last evening while doing some research on the 52-Set. The photo comes from the RCSigs.ca website in their 'Vehicles' Section.

The stencil on the front right side of the body appears to be:

COMMAND
HP
OUTFITTED

The WD Number would imply this vehicle is somewhere overseas during the war. But look at the paint pattern.

The vehicle is overall a consistent light colour. However, the top of the front bumper, brush guard, face and top of cowl, front fenders, cab roof and main body roof have all been painted a uniform darker colour.

I have never seen a wartime vehicle painted in this way before.

David

[Jordan Baker]

Classic MTP46 just missing the darker paint on the sides. Maybe they only made it to step 2

[Ed Storey]

Too bad you don't have the photograph's details as without them then all you have is speculation.

[David Dunlop]

Hello Ed.

I did a little more looking on the RCSigs.ca website and ran across a couple of more photos of this particular vehicle. One was a right rear quarter shot that clearly shows all vehicle markings painted over except the WD Numbers. This particular photo was noted as being taken at Hagersville, Ontario on 25 January 1950.

I have read a number of sources over the years that stated a large number of specific wartime vehicles were selected for return to Canada to fulfill postwar Canadian Army needs. These did return to Canada at some point, but according to the narratives, most went into storage facilities only to be returned overseas to various destinations to fulfill relief needs or UN requirements.

If Hagersville was a postwar storage site, perhaps this was one of those vehicles???

David