Jeep Canadian Markings

[David Smith]

I'm working on marking out my jeep to the Carleton and York Regiment (New Brunswick) during Operation Husky. Although it is doable by hand, does anyone have a source for a gold Maple Leaf decal for the formation sign? I am looking for 3.5 inch stencils - I think that I will need to scale up the more common 3 inch stencils. I am also trying to pin down the colour specs and sources for paint for the brown in the Unit Sign, the white in the stencilling and the dull mustard yellow for the gas detection marking. Lastly, I have been reviewing the British specs for the basic green paint for vehicles involved in Operation Husky to see if it is materially different from the OD colour used on US jeeps. Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated.

[Ed Storey]

Wasn't much of the Canadian transport for Husky was lost on-route resulting in the 1st Division being stuck using worn-out 8th Army transport?

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

The standard colour would have been Khaki No.3 for jeeps supplied to the Canadian Army. It's doubtful very many American supplied O.D. jeeps would have found their way into Canadian hands before the landing as the Canadian Army was pretty well equipped with its own equipment by then. It's also unlikely any jeeps were sand or desert camouflaged for the landing because security as to where the armada was going was tight and painting desert cam would have been a big security breech (tropical uniforms were only issued during the voyage and the jeeps would have been inaccessible below deck for painting).

Lastly, Farley Mowat, commenting in his books on the Sicily campaign complained that 'brown' paint only became available some considerable time after the landing. It's not clear if he's talking about Brown No. 2 or some 'desert' colour like Light Stone. I think it may not have mattered all that much because by all accounts the Sicily dust was so bad everything and everyone was coated with it.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

Wasn't much of the Canadian transport for Husky was lost on-route resulting in the 1st Division being stuck using worn-out 8th Army transport?

Yes, a lot was lost (hence a lot of walking once they arrived), however I think it was the 5th Division that inherited the crapped out ex 8th Army vehicles.

[Ed Storey]

Okay, so which formation supplied 1 Canadian Division with its replacement vehicles while in Sicily?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

The standard colour would have been Khaki No.3 for jeeps supplied to the Canadian Army. It's doubtful very many American supplied O.D. jeeps would have found their way into Canadian hands before the landing as the Canadian Army was pretty well equipped with its own equipment by then.

Are you saying that the Willys MB jeeps built under Canadian contracts were not painted US Olive Drab, but Khaki Green No.3? Do you have any proof as we did not come to a conclusion in the main thread on this topic.

Thanks,
Hanno

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

Okay, so which formation supplied 1 Canadian Division with its replacement vehicles while in Sicily?

From the accounts I've read they generally did without until resupplied. The loss was big but I don't think the majority.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Are you saying that the Willys MB jeeps built under Canadian contracts were not painted US Olive Drab, but Khaki Green No.3? Do you have any proof as we did not come to a conclusion in the main thread on this topic.

Any proof I may have had is long gone as I divested myself of jeeps some time ago. From memory, my 'evidence' would be 1) a parts book that had separate listings for Canadian parts that were no different than American ones, the inference being colour was that difference (maybe even some reference to colour in the intro section for that parts book??), 2) some foggy reference I read where Canadian units in the UK were supplied with Canadian contract jeeps and it was only when resupplied with American jeep there was a noticeable difference in colour noted and 3) when stripping parts on my CDVL 505 many years ago I recall a much browner shade than the 34087 O.D. in cans then available.

Not 100% conclusive to be sure...

[David Smith]

Is Khaki Green No. 3 Paint available in North America? I came across at vendor in the UK but the cost including shipping was pretty expensive.

[Bruce MacMillan]

From the "History of the RCCS" 1st div signals and HQ lost most of their vehicles when three transports were sunk. All their surviving equipment was hand carried ashore. From the book "It was more than two weeks before 1st Div. Signals vehicle compliment was made up, the replacements being North African veterans, many of whom were scarely road worthy".

It also states they made good use of mules. Don't know whether they were sand or OD.

[Ed Storey]

These wartime photographs may help answer the markings/colour question.



This image of General Worthington in his modified Canadian contract Jeep was taken in 1942.



This clapped-out Jeep with accompanying mules was taken in Sicily in 1943.