Canadian Road Signs

[Lang]

Ah, the censor! We have a 4 foot square sign saying "This is a 2 Div town" and some drone in the photo section has meticulously removed unit markings from the soldiers' uniforms.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by CWO (ret) Gilles Aubé

Can we found out from which RGT this RSM and this Artillery SGT are from?

Hi Gilles;

I forgot to include the reference from Library & Archives Canada, which is:

Caption: Two unidentified Canadian non-commissioned officers reading a sign which states, "This is a 2 Div Town - Behave Yourselves In It", Dieppe, France, 9 September 1944.
Credit: Lieut. Ken Bell / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-136020.

I cannot make out the number on their shoulder tab, only the 'RCA' part, so judging by the 'Div patch' each wears, they would be from one of the three Field Regiments, R.C.A. of the 2nd Div, which were:

4th Field Regiment, R.C.A.
Headquarters, 4th Field Regiment, R.C.A.
2nd (Ottawa) Field Battery, R.C.A.
14th (Midland) Field Battery, R.C.A.
26th (Lambton) Field Battery, R.C.A.

5th Field Regiment, R.C.A.
Headquarters, 5th Field Regiment, R.C.A.
5th (Westmount) Field Battery, R.C.A.
28th (Newcastle) Field Battery, R.C.A.
73rd Field Battery, R.C.A.

6th Field Regiment, R.C.A.
Headquarters, 6th Field Regiment, R.C.A.
13th (Winnipeg) Field Battery, R.C.A.
91st Field Battery, R.C.A.
21st Field Battery, R.C.A.

Maybe someone can make out the number on the tab (see below)?

Cheers

[Mark W. Tonner]

Source: Library & Archives Canada
Caption: Lance-Corporal Peter Chimilar, Canadian Provost Corps (C.P.C.), placing a warning sign on the roadside, Hautmesnil, France, 14 August 1944.
Credit: Lieut. Donald I. Grant / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-131267

[servicepub (RIP)]

You guys are used to seeing me hawk my own books but I highly recommend that you treat yourselves to a copy of Mike Dorosh's book on signs. Some of the photos shown in this thread are there but there are many photos from a private collection that appear for the first time.
Signs of War Available for CDN$19.99.

[Mark W. Tonner]

a few more ...

1. - Source: Library & Archives Canada
Caption: Personnel of the 6th Field Park Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers (R.C.E.), Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands, 29 October 1944.
Credit: Lieut. H. Gordon Aikman / Canada Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-113667

2. - Source: Library & Archives Canada
Caption: Lance-Corporal G.S. Archibald, 7th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers (R.C.E.), placing a sign next to German signs pointing to Dunkirk. Bergues, Belgium, 16 September 1944.
Credit: Lieut. Ken Bell / Canada Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-174431

3. - Source: Library & Archives Canada
Caption: Entrance gate sign at No.1 Canadian Field Punishment Camp, Vught, Netherlands, ca. 21-23 April 1945.
Credit: Lieut. J. Ernest DeGuire / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-138241

4. - Source: Library & Archives Canada
Caption: Personnel of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment filling a jeep with gasoline, San Lorenzo in Monte, Italy, ca. 22 September 1944.
Credit: Canada Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-177531

5. - Source: Library & Archives Canada
Caption: Probationers of the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (W.R.C.N.S.) at H.M.C.S. CONESTOGA, Galt, Ontario, Canada, May 1943.
Credit: Lt Kenneth George Fosbery / Canada Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-153499

Cheers

[austin tilly]

I found these pictures today in the city archives on Rotterdam (online).

The quality isn't great, but the signs are clear.

Cheers
Arjan van der Hoek

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by austin tilly

I found these pictures today in the city archives on Rotterdam (online).

The quality isn't great, but the signs are clear.

Cheers
Arjan van der Hoek

Interesting that in the first picture, the British Officer's Club is the only arrow pointing right. In the third picture, there is a sign for the MLBU. That is the same abbreviation used in today's Canadian Army for Mobile Laundry and Bath Unit. Soapy oily laundry and cold gang showers.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Reviving this thread with a wartime photo, plus a recent one.

[Robert Bergeron]

Absolutely great pictures Hanno, great.

[Wout Jansen]

This depended on the bridge at Deventer (Netherlands).
Now at my house!

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by Wout Jansen

This depended on the bridge at Deventer (Netherlands).
Now at my house!

Wout, your road sign is for the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade Workshop, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. - the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade Workshop, was embodied as a unit of the Canadian Army (Active), as Serial No. 232B, the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade Workshop, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, effective 7 January 1943 - it was redesignated Serial No. 232B, the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade Workshop, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and was allocated to the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, under Canadian Military Headquarters Administration Order No. 85 of 1944, effective 15 May 1944 - Serial No. 232B, the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade Workshop, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, was disbanded effective 12 September 1945.

Cheers

[Wout Jansen]

Mark thanks for the clear explanation.
I'm going to continue now figure it out from the war-diaries.

Cheers, Wout

[Wout Jansen]

Who can tell me what this road sign means?
It has been used in Holland.

Cheers, Wout

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by Wout Jansen

Who can tell me what this road sign means

Wout, it is for the 1st Canadian Works Section, Royal Canadian Engineers.

Cheers

[Wout Jansen]

Mark, thanks again!

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Mark W. Tonner

Wout, it is for the 1st Canadian Works Section, Royal Canadian Engineers.

Cheers

The multi-volume set of histories of the Royal Canadian Engineers (not at hand right now) will reveal names, locations and functions of 1st Works. The RCE had a number of wartime subunits to support its many forward echelon units. 'Works' in the WW2 context may mean 'roads and grounds' in today's phrasing. More to follow.

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi

A few more from Library and Archives Canada's "Faces of War" site.

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discove...es/search.aspx


"Stop, Enemy Ahead" sign being erected by personnel of No. 4 Provost Company, Bretteville-le-Rabet, France, 23 June 1944.


Craftsman T.A. Lyman (right) of the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (R.C.E.M.E.) operating the Beaver Club flower service, which accepts orders for telegraphing flowers home, Groningen, Netherlands, 2 June 1945.(what is the patch on the signaller on the left?)


Entertainers and troopers of The Calgary Regiment in front of a sign reading “Calgary Roundup”, an event which included sports, entertainment, refreshments, and the presentation of a silver service to the regiment’s commanding officer, Apeldoorn, Netherlands, 18 June 1945.


Entrance gate sign at No.1 Canadian Field Punishment Camp (Canadian Army Miscellaneous Units), Vught, Netherlands, ca. 21-23 April 1945.


Lance-Corporal Eddie Gallant and Corporal H.E. Popkey hanging 7th Victory Loan Campaign signs on a German railway gun captured by the 4th Canadian Armoured Division during fighting along the Leopold Canal, Eecloo, Belgium, 13 October 1944.
(Loooove the sign on the right!!!)

regards
Darrell

[Wout Jansen]

These two I have in my collection. They are used in April / May 1945 in "Berg en Bosch" in Apeldoorn.

What means DDME?

Gr, Wout

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by Wout Jansen

What means DDME?

Wout, DDME was the abbreviation used for the Deputy Director of Mechanical Engineering (Electrical and Mechanical Engineers).

Cheers

[Wout Jansen]

Mark, thanks!

[Jordan Baker]

Found this will while going through the RHLI War Diaries

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Found this will while going through the RHLI War Diaries

Good Lord, that is a find. Thanks for sharing this!

[Michael Reintjes]

awesome......

[George McKenzie]

In 1942 a solder put a sign on the Alaska hi way at Watson lake .Now there is 77,000 signs there .look up on the internet .

[RickM]

A mess of signs, Amersfoort 1945

[RickM]

Dugged-up roadsign from the same area, used after the liberation of Holland.

Unit Sign is 202 on Dark Blue (or discoloured black) Any explication which actual unit this is, is more than welcome!

[Alan McGuinness]

IWM photo B 14119

[Jack Geratic]

Found some instructions in the War Diaries concerning route markers:




regards,
Jack

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

Found some instructions in the War Diaries concerning route markers:

Excellent find Jack!

Thanks for sharing.

H.

[Jack Geratic]

A few more found in the 8th Recce diaries:







regards,

Jack