Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Manufacturers, production numbers, configurations, etc.
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Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Silly's MB » Fri Aug 29, 2014 12:55 pm

I have found a document entitled
" Standard Operating Procedure for Documentation and Marking of Shipments to Overseas Destinations from the UK" 13 April 1944

It helps to answer some of the questions that have been raised about the coloured triangles found on Jerrycans and other boxes and cartons . This document only relates to the ETO prior to D-Day and as some other memos point out much of the information was ignored !
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Re: Marking of POL for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Silly's MB » Fri Aug 29, 2014 1:01 pm

Cont.

The red highlighted part is not really applicable but I found it mildly amusing.
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See thread for circular 198 viewtopic.php?f=37&t=240344
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Appendix 6
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Re: Marking of POL for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Silly's MB » Fri Aug 29, 2014 1:16 pm

Some examples borrowed from another thread (viewtopic.php?f=37&t=227972) I hope the originators of the images don't mind.
prenormandy_crop Time.JPG
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Navarre gas can.jpg
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triangle_a_Gerrycan.jpg
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Last edited by Silly's MB on Fri Aug 29, 2014 1:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Marking of POL for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Silly's MB » Fri Aug 29, 2014 1:23 pm

Other examples;
liners_b_Gerrycan.JPG
liners_b_Gerrycan.JPG (46.17 KiB) Viewed 5152 times

This example is slightly different as it also has black markings with the green. It denotes that it is for Quartermaster Sales.
Ration_Box_Rheingold_Beer-Questmaster.jpg
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QM sales copy.jpg
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Re: Marking of POL for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Hammerhead » Fri Aug 29, 2014 4:13 pm

Cool info! Thanks for posting!! It does answer a lot of questions people had. Amazing you came upon the documentation. Thanks again
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Re: Marking of POL for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Silly's MB » Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:57 pm

The green corners are present on all QM supplies, but actually according to the diagram the symbol for Class III supplies which petrol is, should actually be a Diamond not a triangle. The triangle is the symbol for Clothing and Equipment.
Subsistence is the crescent in green or black.
Regular supplies should be marked with a green circle.
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Re: Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by gerrykan » Sun Aug 31, 2014 9:00 am

Thank you for taking the time to post this information.
Roy

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Re: Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Silly's MB » Sun Aug 31, 2014 1:44 pm

gerrykan wrote:Thank you for taking the time to post this information.
No problem, I hope its useful.

I think that the blue stripes in the Full life picture by Frank Schersche may possibly be denoting a previous shipment to the Air Corps. The triangle that is shown is not on the same cans that the blue stripes and the stencilling are on and the only markings that actually look new are the Octane markings. A key note on the original document is that old markings should be obliterated but this was not being done very often it seems. The new markings would go on when being packed for shipment and destination is known.
Normandy_Gas_Can_004.jpg
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It is not altogether clear that it should be 2 x 1" stripes or 1 x 2" stripe.
Air corps markings.jpg
Air corps markings ,Blue stripes
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Re: Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Quest Master » Wed Sep 10, 2014 6:35 am

I added the following to my thread on my Normandy Gas Can Restoration:

Ok, after careful reading of the complete WWII doctrine I have come up with the DEFINATIVE explanation of the TIME photo and the Normandy gas can restoration.

THE TRIANGLE ON THE SIDE IS GREEN!

I have reviewed the entire manual and have retyped it here for all to read. The below ONLY applies to the gas cans in this thread:
Quote:
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, NO. 3 MOVEMENTS, VOLUME III, DOCUMENTATION AND MARKINGS OF SHIPMENTS TO OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, dated 13 April 1944, Headquarters European Theater of Operations United States Army.

Paragraph 6. MARKING SUPPLIES FOR OVERSEAS SHIPMENT
a. GENERAL: The following markings will be stenciled on each container (see exceptions in 6c, d, e, f and g). Complete markings will be stenciled on two surfaces, one end and one side of each container, in accordance with examples illustrated in Appendices 1 to 18 inclusive. Markings other than color markings will be at least three-quarters (3/4”) of an inch in height.
d. POL Products: Gasoline and petroleum products will have markings as set forth in par.6a placed on not less than ten percent (10%) of all cans and drums uniformly distributed throughout the shipment.

Paragraph 9. COLOR MARKINGS
a. General: Each package or article will be marked with distinguishing color markings and symbols as indicated below:
(6) QUARTERMASTER CORPS – (Class III except when shipped loose in 5-gal. cans or in drums (See Appendix 6)
QUARTERMASTER CORPS – (Clothing and Equipage) (See Appendix 7)
c. Petroleum Products will have containers stenciled and tagged in accordance with War Department Circular No.198, 1 September 1943.

Appendix 6: BULK SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT, QUARTERMASTER CORPS CLASS III
Image
Appendix 7: BLUK SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT, QUARTERMASTER CORPS – CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
Image
End quote.

What this basically means for gas cans that we have seen in this thread: A gas can that has a green corner marking (on the bottom corner) is one that has been shipped in bulk, meaning banded empty to several other gas cans for shipment - Paragraph 9 Subsection 6 Quartermaster Corps Class III item and marked in accordance with Appendix 6. A gas can that has been shipped individually (full or empty) is considered a Paragraph 9 Subsection 6 Quartermaster Corps C&E item and will be marked with a green triangle in accordance with Appendix 7.

It took a bit of reading and comparing of detail within the shipping document reference, but now I feel 100% comfortable with the complete assessment that the color is GREEN. The placement and shape of the green markings depends on how the can was shipped, either in bulk or as a single can.
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Re: Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Chance » Sat Oct 29, 2016 6:19 pm

Related question: where would I look to find the unit markings for Army units? As you identified, the blue band represents Air Corps. I also see a spade for the 9th Squadron (?). This is what I'm interested in; what documentation is there that lists out the various unit markings? Side note: I'm interested in 1st Infantry Division, 1st Reconnaissance Troop. So following this example, I would think there would be an Army marking and a unit marking...
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Re: Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Quest Master » Wed Nov 02, 2016 6:21 am

I believe you are looking for the POM or Preparation for Overseas Movement markings. They are covered in the book: "Unit Serial Numbers from the First U.S. Army Build-Up Priority Tables, List A, D+1 through D+14" D-Day (Normandy) - Top Secret - BIGOT NEPTUNE" ISBN: 978-1-4476-7681-2
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Re: Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Fabrizio » Wed Nov 02, 2016 11:36 am

Quest Master, this might interest you:
Image
GPW #3606 “LIBBY”
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Re: Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Chuck Lutz » Wed Nov 02, 2016 12:57 pm

Here is a pic of those "banded" jerry-cans. I don't see any corner markings but you may have better eyes than I do:
Red Ball Express Cans 1944.jpg
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Re: Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Chance » Wed Nov 02, 2016 2:08 pm

Van - thanks for the post on that. I did find it on (rain forest).com site - wish there was a preview to be sure, but will probably pull the trigger on it anyway. Thank you.
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Re: Marking of Petrol for Overseas Destinations from the UK

Post by Fabrizio » Thu Nov 03, 2016 12:35 am

Here are four of my cans than can be of some interest:


Two original "Normandy" cans, none has the triangle.

Image

Image

Water can with a big green triangle on the corner + shipping data

Image

Green triangle + green data

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