I have wartime images of a Fordson armoured car in North Africa, with
a quartered flag attached to the antenna. The flag has two squares in a
light colour, and two in a dark colour. I imagine the light one is white, but
am not sure what the dark colour is. It doesn’t appear to be black, so
could it be blue or red? I have tried to find references to such a flag, alas
without success.
Thanks,
Paul
I found this captioned picture. It identifies the vehicle as being part of the 11th Hussars. Sorry, no color description.
The caption…
“D Squadron, 11th Hussars. Their concern over air attack inspired their use of an extra pair of light machine-guns mounted on the turret.”
The link…
Isn’t that the free Polish flag? I believe I saw it in photos of Spitfires flown by those folks.
D squadron of 11th Hussars was formed in early 1944.
During the period in Egypt there was an attached RAF Armoured Car unit which was labeled D Sqn
“7/10/40: A squadron of RAF Armoured Cars who were attached to the Regt arrived in the vicinity of RHQ in the evening. It consisted of 10 ACs and some transport. This sqn will in future be known as D Sqn.”
The Rolls Royce AC was withdrawn at the end of 1941 when it was replaced by modern units.
I found that formation date of 1944 you mentioned at the link I posted previously as well. The very same site shows my photo and caption. How could D Squadron be in North Africa years before it was organized?
I’m confused. And what’s worse… still no clue regarding the antenna flag colors as per the OP’s question.
The 11th Hussars had an RAF armoured car unit attached for a period in Egypt.
Attached from 7/10/40 to unknown date but at the end of the period in Egypt the D sqn isn’t mentioned anymore. The last mention of them is in early February 1941
Don’t know if that attached RAF unit was British or Polish crewed …
“Armoured Reconnaissance unit: The wartime baptism of fire for the unit, however, was as a unit of the Western Desert Force, patrolling the wire to give warning of the impending Italian invasion. Two sections of the Company joined the similarly-equipped, and very hard-pressed, armoured cavalry regiment, the 11th Hussars. On arrival, in September 1940, the Sections were combined to form a Squadron, which was designated as ‘D’ Squadron of the Hussars. The RAF cars stayed in this role over the winter of 1940-1941, and took part in the halting of the Italian advance, and the subsequent British counter-attack. The RAF cars were involved in the Battle of Bardia and of Beda Fomm. They provided the screen on the great chase to ‘cut the corner’ and trap the enemy in Cyrenaica. When the Squadron was finally recalled, in February 1942, it had been operationally active for 5 months, and had been as far west as El Agheila”
https://rafregimentheritagecentre.org.uk/habbaniyah-raising-the-siege/
“Kingcol, the relief column for the troops at Habbaniyah, was readied and launched from the Western Desert, spearheaded by Habforce, a light mobile column, which included, as its vanguard, 2 ACC fresh from an extended spell in the Desert acting as D Squadron 11 Hussars, and commanded by one of its most charismatic leaders, Sqn Ldr Mike Casano.”
If the flag is a letter flag (International Maritime signal flags) it would be the letter U, two red and two white squares
