page_title: British military vehicle markings of World War II
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: British military vehicle markings of World War II / History
caption_attribution_description: IWM caption&#160;: 3.7-inch gun being towed by an AEC matador lorry through the ruins of Caen.
context_page_description: The use of markings on British military vehicles expanded and became more sophisticated following the mass production and mechanization of armies in World War II.
  Unit marks were sometimes amended at the front to make them less visible when in view of the enemy. Certain other marks were however made more visible in front line areas, such as aerial recognition signs to avoid friendly fire.
  There are practical purposes behind most signs such as; allied identification, bridge weight, gas detection, tactical signs, vehicle War Department number and convoy marks. Attempts were made to standardise the size, colour and location of marks, with varying degrees of success.
context_section_description: The marking on military vehicles to identify the country or unit pre-dates the development of mechanical vehicles. The Broad arrow used by the British Board of Ordnance to mark government property dates from the 16th century.
  Arm of service marks began with the use of service initials, such as S. & M.  (Sappers and Miners), which pre-dated RE  (Royal Engineers).
  During World War I the system of identification developed as a result of necessity, formation signs were created before being abandoned after that war ended.
  Army, Corps, Independent Brigade and Divisional marks generally use symbols. Regimental, Battalion and parts of a battalion marks tend to use numbers with symbols.
  Vehicle registration numbers were used to identify vehicle type and the specific vehicle number. Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) sometimes adopted personal names. Other marks are used for information, such as weight or maximum speed, to identify friendly vehicles, or to identify the purpose, such as bomb disposal.
  Markings usually use stencils, accordingly war time markings are not generally as neat as a hand painted pre-war mark, and being done in the field are sometimes in mirror image and often in the wrong location on the vehicle.
caption: British AEC Matador lorry with allied star on side, aerial recognition on cab roof with H on cab door meaning artillery tractor followed by vehicle census number 4950450
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