PSC Cruiser Mk.I A9 CS

FatAngus wrote:did all allied tanks have the white red white stripe or only certain units?

Mike Starmer wrote:
The White-Red-White Flash: In early November 1941 whilst planning for "Operation Crusader", the relief of Tobruk, the issue of recognition of friendly AFVs for ground forces was again addressed. All participating armored units were ordered to mark their tanks with a large and distinctive easily recognized marking due to a number of factors ……..
An order from the GHQ of the 8th Army was issued about 5th
November 1941 immediately applicable to all units designated
to partake in the forthcoming operation which commenced on 18th November and continued until 6th January 1942. This order applied to units of both XII and XXX Corps and Tobruk Garrison. In addition to which I have copies of the pertinent sections of this order to 7th Armored Division, 6th Infantry Division and 32nd Army Tank Brigade…….

[R]ecognition of AFVs will be standardized throughout the EIGHTH ARMY on the following lines. Tanks only. Sign to be painted in positions shown on attached diagram, the sign to be 3 vertical bands, the centre band to be red, the outer bands to be white. Each band will be 6 inches wide and up to 18 inches deep according to available space. Paints and brushes are being sent immediately to Formation O.F.Ps. The sign will be painted on as soon as paint is received. Completion of all tanks will be reported to this H.Q.

In each case the designated positions were both sides of the turret, both sides of the front track-guards and one centrally on the front hull plate. These locations were indicated on a somewhat crude drawing attached to the above order…… No marking was to be applied to the rear or horizontal surfaces; this was not an air recognition sign.

This order was followed by item (b)regarding tanks and armored cars that were to carry two pennants in various positions as prescribed in the order on specified dates. There was a codeword issued as the instruction to adopt these pennant positions…….

Following the successful end of the operation in January, albeit with huge losses of tanks and equipment, the white-red-white marking was cancelled and presumably units were ordered to paint over them. No order has yet been found instructing units to obscure or remove the marking but there are a number of photographs taken in early 1942 of different types of tanks that do show fresh camouflage colored rectangles of paint over
those areas where the flash would have been applied.

This flash was never used again anywhere in the Middle East on any other type of tank or other vehicle than those listed above.
Mike Starmer