Unidentified Unit Sign

[Mike Jackson]

The IWM isn't always absolutely correct. Here is the formation sign for 2 Armd Gp and the Comd's pennant:
2 Armd Gp.jpg2 Armd Gp Comds Pennant.jpg

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

The IWM isn't always absolutely correct. Here is the formation sign for 2 Armd Gp and the Comd's pennant:
Attachment 118519Attachment 118520

Maybe not but I'd be confident, especially after viewing the suggested formation sign, that they're correct in this case. The 2 Armd Gp image you're showing is much more like a formation sign - more recognisable and easier to make a stencil for. That's my view on the formation sign in your OP which (incidentally) I have seen before but can't remember whose it is and it's killing me.

[Mike Jackson]

2 Armd Gp is very similar to the WW2 vehicle sign of 2 Aust Armd Div and the early 1950s sign of 2 Aust Armd Bde. Mike

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

2 Armd Gp is very similar to the WW2 vehicle sign of 2 Aust Armd Div and the early 1950s sign of 2 Aust Armd Bde. Mike

Ok, I'll have to take your word for that but if you don't mind me asking; for what reason did you raise that point?

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by Hussar100

Ok, I'll have to take your word for that but if you don't mind me asking; for what reason did you raise that point?

Simply that the Australians may have derived the design from seeing a 2 Armd Gp sign being used or worn. This is the 1950s 2 Aust Armd Bde sign. Mike
2 Aust Armd Bde.jpg

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

Simply that the Australians may have derived the design from seeing a 2 Armd Gp sign being used or worn. This is the 1950s 2 Aust Armd Bde sign. Mike
Attachment 118521

It's possible. There are a few reasons why Australian signs could be similar to British ones as we all know. I doubt we'll ever get a definitive answer to that one - what do you say?

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by Hussar100

It's possible. There are a few reasons why Australian signs could be similar to British ones as we all know. I doubt we'll ever get a definitive answer to that one - what do you say?

As far as I know the only 2 AIF formation signs - used only on vehicles and signboards - that are not wholly indigenous designs such as emus, kangaroos, porcupines, boomerangs etc - are the aforementioned 2 Aust Armd Div, the mounted knight in armour sign of 3 Aust Armd Div and the sign of 3 Aust Army Tk Bde - an armour clad head of a knight's charger - which is almost identical to the WW2 sign of the British 20 Armd Bde. And as far as definitive answers go, I never say never! Almost half a century of collecting and I think that we, collectively, have only scratched the surface. Postwarden would probably agree! Mike

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

As far as I know the only 2 AIF formation signs - used only on vehicles and signboards - that are not wholly indigenous designs such as emus, kangaroos, porcupines, boomerangs etc - are the aforementioned 2 Aust Armd Div, the mounted knight in armour sign of 3 Aust Armd Div and the sign of 3 Aust Army Tk Bde - an armour clad head of a knight's charger - which is almost identical to the WW2 sign of the British 20 Armd Bde. And as far as definitive answers go, I never say never! Almost half a century of collecting and I think that we, collectively, have only scratched the surface. Postwarden would probably agree! Mike

Ref my bold:

I hear what you say but as a reader rather than a collector I know there aren't always the answers to the questions I, and others, are asking. It doesn't stop me looking, and as you have rightly pointed out, never say never, but that doesn't stop me facing the reality of what we've got here so I condemn myself to a life of doubt then I'm never disappointed and when answers do appear out of the blue I am so delighted.

I read two small volumes last week which I haven't done book reports on yet but between them they have filled in so many gaps in my knowledge which larger more sophisticated tomes have failed on. Funny enough quite a lot of them concerned Covenanter - karma eh?

I've taken part in a number of historic events in my time. When they're happening you think you'll always remember every little detail. Realising now, as I have done for some years, that our memories aren't always as retentive as they were, I can understand how information gets lost. It has also made me much more appreciative of anecdotal evidence; which is one of the reasons I read so many sets of memoirs.

There's a name for people like me, I think it's "fatalist" although over the years many people have suggested otherwise.