Hi Ian;
Jon is partially correct, the Formation Sign of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division you found and the Arm of Service (AoS) marking you found of ‘60' on a Black background does indicate that the vehicle belonged to No. 48 Light Aid Detachment (Type A) and the AoS Serial ‘60' on a Black background would put the jeep’s service with 48 LAD somewhere in the time frame of approximately April to November 1943, during which they were attached to Headquarters, 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade.
From approximately November 1943 to February 1944, they were attached to the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade Support Group (The New Brunswick Rangers), whereupon the background of their AoS marking changed from Black to Green (as reflected on page 16, under '4 CDN ARMD DIV - INF' in Vehicle Markings - Field Units - Canadian Army Overseas (re: 72-3-3/SD HQ First Cdn Army - dated 13 December 1943)(Source: Library & Archives Canada)). In February 1944, 48 LAD reverted back to being attached to Headquarters, 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade, in which position they served until disbandment in December 1945. Effective 28 March 1944, the background colour for 48 LAD’s AoS marking was authorized as Blue, Yellow, Red horizontal (Source: W.O. Letter 57/Vehs(A)/648/89SWV 3, dated 28 March 1944 (Source: Library & Archives Canada)).
Getting back to your jeep, with the Formation Sign of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division and the Arm of Service (AoS) marking of ‘60' on a Black background indicates the vehicle belonging to No. 48 Light Aid Detachment (Type A), Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, within the period of approximately April to November 1943. After November 1943, the background colour of the AoS marking would have changed to either Green or, later in March/April 1944, to that of Blue, Yellow, Red horizontal, but the one on your jeep is Black, indicating that the jeep served with the LAD within the period of approximately April to November 1943, funny though that there is no other indications on your jeep that the vehicle was on charge of another unit from late 1943 to at least 1946 (Re: Your - “It also has a REME plate in the engine compartment dated 1946").
NOTE: Even though they were authorized to change the AoS marking background to that of the ‘RCEME’ colours of Blue, Yellow, Red, effective 28 March 1944, No. 48 Light Aid Detachment (Type A) was a unit of the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps until being transferred to the newly formed Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, with effective from 15 May 1944, whereupon they were redesignated No. 48 Light Aid Detachment (Type A), R.C.E.M.E., effective 15 May 1944, under the authority of Canadian Military Headquarters Administration Order No. 85 (promulgated in Canadian Army Overseas Routine Order No. 4604).
The allotment of a ‘Light Aid Detachment, Type A’ to formations and units was one to:
- Headquarters of an Infantry Brigade
- Headquarters of an Infantry Brigade Group
- Armoured Car Regiment, C.A.C.
- Anti-Tank Regiment, R.C.A. (in an Infantry Division)
- Survey Regiment, R.C.A.
- Corps Headquarters Signals
- Headquarters Signals
- Air Formation Signals
- L. of C. Signals
- Reconnaissance Battalion/Regiment
Cheers
Mark
|