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I'm looking for examples of the markings used by 21st Infantry Brigade of the 7th Australian Division at Balikpapan in July 1945 and in particular those of the 2/14 Battalion and the 2/27 Battalion that landed at Sepinggang airstrip with a CAV unit (Cavalry?).
Also does anyone know which of the following RAE units supported the 21st Brigade; Divisional Engineers 2/4 Field Company 2/5 Field Company 2/6 Field Company 2/9 Field Company 2/25 Field Park Company My dad recovered a Chev C60 Derrick (A frame type), a Dodge Weapons Carrier and a few Jeeps off the beach a few months after the battle and I fancy doing a model of each. While the Dodge and the Jeeps could have been used by any of the above the Derrick is a bit more specific to the Engineers. I know the 7th used a Kookaburra on a boomerang as the Div sign but some accounts say that the bird was more detailed than just a white silhouette and that by 1945 Army boots had been added to the bird's feet! Not much available on the web so any help gratefully received.
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Larry Hayward Last edited by Larry Hayward; 18-05-14 at 17:27. |
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Hi Larry,
According to my references, from 3 June 1944 onward, all Australian infantry battalions were allocated the number 56. The individual battalion number was used to identify them, so the unit signs you're after would have been 2-14 over 56, or 2-27 over 56, painted in white, all on a red background. They looked like a fraction with a thin white line between the upper and lower numbers. The 7 Div kookaburra came in several versions, but given the lack of time and paint etc. in the front line, it seems most likely that it was painted as a solid white bird on a black background(my guess). Sorry, I can't help with the Engineer units. Cheers, Allan |
#3
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The Chev C60 Derrick might have belonged to one of the AEME units. Not sure though which ones were allocated to that brigade.
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1942 Chevrolet C60L WO48 - (Workshop) 1944 F15A 1965 Workshop Platform Trailer, Binned ARN: 101-803 1967 Trailer, 1/2 ton AUST No 5 ARN: 154-748 1990 Perentie 6x6 ERV, ARN: 51-981 |
#4
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Many thanks guys; all very useful.
I wonder if there are any photo examples for this Division
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Larry Hayward |
#5
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Larry,
Go to the AWM website. Find 'War Diaries'. Work your way through the levels to 7 Aust Inf Division. Look at the month(s) you are interested in, and look for the LOC STATS (Location Statements) in the appendices for that month. Ascertain which engineer unit was co-located with the Infantry Bn you are interested in. Bingo! With regard to the use of fractions to represent the Unit sign, these came in to effect in August 1944, and for 7th Infantry Division, were promulgated by Divisional HQ in early September. The official Divisional sign was indeed a simplified white Kookaburra sitting on a white boomerang, on a black background. By this stage, there was only one officially sanctioned version, the governing principle being that it could be easily stencilled in the field - unlike the early 1940s when it was two coloured (Brown and White) on a black background. There are references to boots and flying Kookaburra versions, but these were local abberrations and were certainly not adopted officially. Mike C |
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The unit sign would look similar to this.
The pic shows plate for 29/46 inf btn. Check how bright the red background should be. This seemed right to me, but I have seen some darker/lighter red.
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Ford CMP, 115" WB,1942 (Under Restoration...still) Medium sized, half fake, artillery piece project. (The 1/4 Pounder) |
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Mike & Tony thanks very much!
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Larry Hayward |
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Tony,
Looks much too dark to me - like a maroon colour. I think the colour used was actually 'signal red' - a much brighter red than that. Mike C |
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The Light Aid Detachment AEME was 2/59 Aust LAD
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1942 Chevrolet C60L WO48 - (Workshop) 1944 F15A 1965 Workshop Platform Trailer, Binned ARN: 101-803 1967 Trailer, 1/2 ton AUST No 5 ARN: 154-748 1990 Perentie 6x6 ERV, ARN: 51-981 |
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With the 21st Inf Bde?
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Larry Hayward |
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Sorry to ask more on this subject but did Australian army vehicles such as a Dodge Weapons Carrier in July 1945 have a white star on the hood and was it with or without a circle round it?
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Larry Hayward |
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![]() Quote:
![]() now if you asked about Kangaroos..... ![]()
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Cheers Cliff Hutchings aka MrRoo S.I.R. "and on the 8th day he made trucks so that man, made on the 7th day, had shelter when woman threw him out for the night" MrRoo says "TRUCKS ROOLE" ![]() |
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Cliff, do you have photographic evidence of late war kangaroos (the marsupial type) with stars painted on them?
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Bluebell Carrier Armoured O.P. No1 Mk3 W. T84991 Carrier Bren No2.Mk.I. NewZealand Railways. NZR.6. Dodge WC55. 37mm Gun Motor Carriage M6 Jeep Mb #135668 So many questions.... |
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I agree with Cliff's first line.
Mike |
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![]() Quote:
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Cheers Cliff Hutchings aka MrRoo S.I.R. "and on the 8th day he made trucks so that man, made on the 7th day, had shelter when woman threw him out for the night" MrRoo says "TRUCKS ROOLE" ![]() |
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Thanks folks; I was thinking that the Allied Star marking was used everywhere, but I see now that Australia used no aerial recognition symbol in the Pacific.
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Larry Hayward |
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