C8A HUM census numbers?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Hi Alex,

It is not so much the high census number range. But if the census number was not preceded by a “C” it was not a vehicle produced under a Canadian contract.

And:
• SM = Supply Mechanical, these were British contracts.
• CD and/or LV = Contract Demand (Land Vehicles (?)), these were Canadian contracts.
Read more here: http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1965

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

That list dates from July 1943, so I am not sure if that allows us to draw conclusions on vehicles seen in 1944/45. I mean, I question that a Canadian vehicle census starting with 59 (or basically any 7 figure number not starting with 42) is automatically an (ex) British contract vehicle.

For instance, a number of C60L APT's have come up for sale over the past few years, some which seemingly still have their original paint and census....they start with "59" and are from contract SM 6520. So, is this a Canadian or British contract?
I have no proof, but I don't think Canadian contract census numbers ended at 4299999, but more likely more census numbers were needed and numbers previously not taken up were used.

[Alex van de Wetering]

But if the census number was not preceded by a “C” it was not a vehicle produced under a Canadian contract.

I don't think I agree; that might have been the "rule", but period pictures show that the reality was often different. There are plenty of pictures of Canadian vehicles without the "C" prefix, both in the 42..-43 range, as well as higher numbers starting with 55, 56 or 59. The 42..-43 range as we all know was for Canadian contracts, but even with the picture of the CBC HUP above, you can see that the "C" was often omitted, and therefor in my opinion, you can't say a vehicle is British contract by just the lack of a "C" prefix.
Especially in late war pictures you see a lot of Softskins without the C-prefix, but with Armour the lack of a "C" seems more common, like T16 carriers, Shermans, Staghounds.

And:
• SM = Supply Mechanical, these were British contracts.
• CD and/or LV = Contract Demand (Land Vehicles (?)), these were Canadian contracts.
Read more here: http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1965

Thanks Hanno!