THIS VEHICLE IS FILLED WITH ANTIFREEZE and other markings

[Michael Dorosh]

I noticed the stencilling on Chris Johnson's Sherman drawing in Clive's and Steve Guthrie's pam - THIS VEHICLE IS FILLED WITH ANTI-FREEZE 1/3 - 2/3 & MUST NOT BE DRAINED

I am wondering if anyone can pass on any other "typical" markings of a like nature that might be found on Shermans or Stuarts circa Oct 1944?

Even stuff that would be chalked would be of interest; for example when our vehicles are DI'ed by the MTSC staff before an ex, we sometimes see notes chalked on the side - WIPERS N/S.

Just trying to get some ideas for a couple of modelling projects. The natural inclination to cover vehicles in every marking imagineable whereas the reality was something different....but what the hey....

[Martin IJdo]

Hello Michael,

I once built a model of a UC in 1/35 scale for a model exibition.
I got the idea from lots of pictures with Canadian tanks and truck covered in chalk writing, mostly from young dutch girls hwo where very happy indeed to see so many young men ! Very typical of the period was that even though a lot a girls knew how to speak English, the writing skills where less developed. On the left in the picture you see "we luv joe", phonetic Dutch for "we love you".... I got this from from an actual photograph of a Sherman.
Could this be an idea for you ?



Martin.

[Michael Dorosh]

that's a terrific idea! There is a great photo somewhere of a UC rolling under a railway bridge; the Dutch had painted a big THANK YOU CANADA sign on it. Now you have me thinking!

[Mark W. Tonner]

Michael;

Is this the picture you mean?

Cheers

[Mark W. Tonner]

Michael;

Heres a picture of a Seaforth Highlanders of Canada carrier, The Netherlands 1945.

Cheers

[Michael Dorosh]

Funny what the memory can do to you, eh? I do believe that is the one, Mark.

I've seen the Seaforth one before too.

Now - what about "official" markings?

[Mark W. Tonner]

Michael Dorosh wrote: "Now - what about "official" markings?"

Michael, do you mean AoS and the like, on a Cdn carrier ...................:

Cheers

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Martin IJdo
I got the idea from lots of pictures with Canadian tanks and truck covered in chalk writing, mostly from young dutch girls ....

Martin, do you think young Dutch girls also chalked the text on the side of this carrier? I think it was done by angry young men, actually

source: http://www.mindspring.com/~rmgill/br...les/index.html

For our non-Dutch reading members, "Hitler is een klootzak" is very rude, as it is the equivalent of "Hitler is a sc*mb@g".

Jim, did you realise what the chalking means?

Regards,
Hanno

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by Mark W. Tonner
Michael, do you mean AoS and the like, on a Cdn carrier ...................:

Cheers

No, I mean anything like the antifreeze markings mentioned above, or the TP (tire pressure) markings used on US vehicles - stuff for maintenance guys to refer to - anything interesting, really, just to add a bit of pizazz...

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by Michael Dorosh "No, I mean anything like the antifreeze markings mentioned above, or the TP (tire pressure) markings used on US vehicles - stuff for maintenance guys to refer to - anything interesting, really, just to add a bit of pizazz..."

OK!........I understand now........I'll see what I can come up with....

Cheers

Originally posted by Martin IJdo

mostly from young dutch girls hwo where very happy indeed to see so many young men ! Very typical of the period was that even though a lot a girls knew how to speak English, the writing skills where less developed.
Martin.

Ah Martin, you Dutch men have no idea how lucky you are. Around these parts the consensus is that Dutch women are the most beautiful in the world.

Re: markings (out of my reverie and back on topic) I've also read about, and seen photos of messages written on vehicles to the residents of the next town along the roads to liberation.

Michael, I have seen decal sheets from Archer for shipping stencils used before loading for D-Day.

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

ANTI-FREEZE - DO NOT USE "PRESTONE 44" on hood front like Yanks did.

Regarding Seaforths with UC - There was an earlier photo with the same UC but in that one all of the men were from Vancouver and guess what, at the bottom where this photo has CANADA, you can see that VANCOUVER has been rubbed out!

I was just down at the armoury tonight and talked with some of the WWII & later period veterans - though tonight my questions were about WWII uniforms. Lt Col Davy Fairweather reminded me that this year is the 60th Anniversary of the Ortona Dinner. He was at the first one and shows up in one photo.