Q: Royal Canadian Dragoons markings?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Bert van de Maat sent me these two photos Royal Canadian Dragoons vehicles. He would like to know what the markings are on the front and the side of the Dingos and Lynx. He thinks they are yellow with black lettering, is this correct? What do they denote?

If you can help, please post a response here.

Thanks in advance!

rcd markings.jpg RCD Dingo's.jpg

[James P]

I would say red with black infill, but that is just a guess on my part.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

They are squadron markings, D in this instance with the individual vehicle number inside. The colour of the outline (a 'D' on its side. 'A' was a triangle, 'B' a square, 'C' a circle and HQ a diamond) should be white as the RCD were 'unaligned' within a brigade. If in a brigade AFV squadron outlines were red, blue and yellow depending on their precedence within the brigade.

Not sure about the background colour but black makes sense.

This from memory...

[Harry Moon]

Dingoes in the right picture?

[James P]

Just to add to Bruces note is the "Lazy D" as it is called can be seen with spine up or down (supported by wartime pictures and I do believe the D outline is red not white.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by James P

Just to add to Bruces note is the "Lazy D" as it is called can be seen with spine up or down (supported by wartime pictures and I do believe the D outline is red not white.

Why do you think red? Red is (if I recall correctly...I can check) for the first armoured regiment in a brigade, and armoured recce units outside of a brigade 'should' be white, by the book. I have evidence the RCD used pale blue in 1943 but have no idea why. Dulling down the bright white doesn't seem right given all the other colourful markings but is a possibility.

[Ed Storey]

Modellers and vehicle enthusiasts have been wresting with this problem for decades. Here is a short AFV News article from early 1983.

Interpretation of Colours From Black and White Photos - Volume 18 No. 1 - Jan. - Apr.jpg