The outside of your vehicle may have had unit insignia on it at one time, more commonly though Union Jacks or RAF roundels, depending on service use, seem to have been applied. In the case of Royal Marine vehicles, a sticker denoting a red dagger in addition to the Union Jack is also common. Sometimes fitted in the windscreen will be a black RN or rarer still RM sticker. On the reverse of these is usually written the vehicle registration mark and tyre pressures front and rear. The use of stencils is far more commonplace and used to depict regiments, sections, troops, call signs etc. A varied selection of animals and birds can be found on many a vehicle usually though on the doors. Other common markings found on doors in stencil form are sub-unit markings as follows:

HQ: Diamond A Troop: Triangle B Troop: Square C Troop: Circle D Troop: Half Circle	Sometimes within the centre area of these markings will be a call sign. For example 10A will be Troop HQ/Platoon Commander.	The doors also are used for red crosses of Field Ambulance, either in circle form or square.

Various locations seem to be used from lightweight bonnet sides to the wings on standard 3/4 & 1/2 ton vehicles but the favoured seems to be the doors. It has even been found on the inside panel of the door! Tyre pressures (tp) are usually above the relevant wheel and on the bonnet where a tyre is fitted. Locations for the spare tyre pressure stencil varies from one in the centre of the leading edge of the bonnet and two at the side of the tyre. The pressure here is usually the higher value of the wheels. If your vehicle is FFR, 'Danger Acid Splash' is commonly found on the radio battery boxes and on vehicle battery covers. It is usually in red paint. Other stencils warning of fluids are:

• AL39 - Radiator
• OX8 - Brake/clutch fluid
• OMD80 - Engine oil & series air filter (oil bath type)
• OEP220 or just 220 on axles or diff cases.

Colin Voss