a few weeks ago i was reeding someones posting, and the further debate on a photo of a mark V tank being painted, and as to weather the identification marks had been censord.
they had been, the front large number was 03 and the smaller one was 926.
I came across the uncensord photo on the NSL archive
Thanks all. The censored photo is in the Australian War Memorial archives so it's great to see this version. The serial number still has a digit missing - behind the chap's head! O3 is curious, as it implies 15th Battalion, but I was under the impression they only used Mark V*s. Not sure if this tank is camouflage painted (i.e. two or more tones) or if the light is just doing odd things when it reflects from wet paint.
Thanks all. The censored photo is in the Australian War Memorial archives so it's great to see this version. The serial number still has a digit missing - behind the chap's head! O3 is curious, as it implies 15th Battalion, but I was under the impression they only used Mark V*s. Not sure if this tank is camouflage painted (i.e. two or more tones) or if the light is just doing odd things when it reflects from wet paint.
Gwyn
Gwyn, I think the "O3" is actually "03" or, more probably, X03 as a HSN. There is a small part of the first digit visible above the centre painter's head. Going off the obviously small amount visible, I would say that it should be a 6.
Just gone back to the NLS site to try their zoom tool. Yes, I think it is quite possible there is a 6 before the 03, although it's now partly over painted by the WRW stripes. So this looks like a tank that has been or is to be shipped to France after originally being used for training in the UK. Or possibly it's a post-war photo?
Also I think the tank might well be in a two (or more) tone camouflage and so it's not just a trick of the light as I previously thought. What makes me think this is that you can see a lighter colour in the middle of the zero, and if you were painting over these digits you wouldn't paint the centre of the zero and not paint the digit out.
Shame the whole serial number can't be read. I could tell so much more then!
I'm not sure that camouflage is being applied or touched up in this photo. Look at the track rollers at the bottom. There are oil leaks on top of the camo. And one thing that makes no sense, at least to me, is that at least the two painters closest to the camera have white or very light paint in their buckets. The only fresh looking white paint is in the W-R-W stripes.
One question Gwyn. Do you know the WD numbers of the Mk V's shipped to Russia?
P.S.: After zooming in on the front horn, I'm certain that the only new paint is white. The red stripe of the white red white stripes hasn't been applied at the time of the photo. The camo between the stripes is clearly visible.
-- Edited by Mark Hansen on Sunday 29th of March 2009 10:36:22 PM
The only Mark V tank I know to have gone to Russia with a serial of 926x was 9261. I'll have to do some checking to see if it was a right hand or left hand Composite, as that's one aspect of my database that's unsatisfactory at present, though it's possible that I just don't know. (In my definition a right hand Composite has a Male sponson on the right or starboard, and a Female on the left or port side. But this is just my definition - I've never heard of anyone else making the distinction). I have no prior history for 9261.
I know of no Mark V with serial 926x that went to Germany post war.
Note that I have no record of 9263 or 9264, so if someone can find those for me that would be very nice.
As for why censor a post war photo - well, it happens all the time.
The only Mark V tank I know to have gone to Russia with a serial of 926x was 9261. I'll have to do some checking to see if it was a right hand or left hand Composite, as that's one aspect of my database that's unsatisfactory at present, though it's possible that I just don't know. (In my definition a right hand Composite has a Male sponson on the right or starboard, and a Female on the left or port side. But this is just my definition - I've never heard of anyone else making the distinction). I have no prior history for 9261.
I know of no Mark V with serial 926x that went to Germany post war.
Note that I have no record of 9263 or 9264, so if someone can find those for me that would be very nice.
As for why censor a post war photo - well, it happens all the time.
Gwyn
9261 is/was a left-hand composite. It also had mud deflectors fitted to the grill.