Scout car hit car or is it car hits scout car

[Mike Cecil]

Looks like Malaya to me, too, judging from the roadside veg.

Ghurka Regiment markings on the Dingo. When did they serve in Malaya? Might provide a clue as to the date range for the image.

Mike C

[chrisgrove]

Hi guys

It is virtually certain the pic was indeed taken in Malaya. The Dingo has a common local modification to fit a turret on the top - due to bandits (sorry CTs) in high fire positions firing down into open topped Dingos. The crossed kukris sign on the Dingo indicates a Gurkha FORMATION, probably brigade, but the Royal Armoured Corps patch on the other side indicates an armoured unit which the Gurkhas didn't have. There were Gurkha formations in Malaya virtually non-stop from the end of the war until British withdrawal, so it would be difficult to work out a time line from that.

The C15TA behind the MG indicates a fairly early date, but the Scammell Explorer in the back ground shows it was not that early. Someone may be able to work out a date from those two!

Chris

[Mike Cecil]

Chris,

"The crossed kukris sign on the Dingo indicates a Gurkha FORMATION, probably brigade, but the Royal Armoured Corps patch on the other side indicates an armoured unit which the Gurkhas didn't have".

Yes, Formation sign: mea maxima culpa. However, this isn't the first time I've seen that Formation Sign on an AFV: one of the British Mk.5/1 Centurions imported to Australia from Hong Kong in 1971 (and not used subsequently by the RAAC) had that same Formation Sign, yet the Gurkhas had no armoured units. Perhaps the higher Formation had an armoured unit attached, hence the adoption of the Form sign along with the RAC Unit colour background (red/yellow diagonal) and Armoured Regiment sign (41)? That in itself may indicate a date-range if the OOB is known for the Malayan Emergency.

Mike C