The following intelligence report on German low-visibility markings of maintenance vehicles was published in Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 12, November 19, 1942. [DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department publication Tactical and Technical Trends. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]

MARKINGS ON GERMAN MOTOR-MAINTENANCE VEHICLES It is evident that motor-maintenance vehicles should bear distinctive markings by which they may be readily identified. On the other hand, an order captured from the Germans would appear to indicate that such vehicles should not be so clearly marked as to permit easy identification by enemy observers. The above-mentioned order was captured from a German reconnaissance unit operating in North Africa and reads as follows: "It is forbidden to mark gasoline and oil supply trucks with distinctive yellow or black-white-red disks, and these must be removed. Enemy aircraft can destroy easily recognizable gasoline and oil supply vehicles with incendiary ammunition. Gasoline supply trucks and gasoline-and-spare-parts supply trucks are to be marked with a blue 'B' made to stand out slightly by a pale yellow outline around its edges. Vehicles belonging to maintenance groups, sections, and light detachments are to be marked with a special 'J'."

Back to Articles by Subject | Intel Bulletin by Issue | T&TT by Issue | Home Page