Markings on front bumper

[Samvd]

Hello,
I was sanding the front bumper of my 1943 willys mb.
After a while i found some old markings.
It said: AE695 (STAR) 14
The AE was just left of the hand crank hole. On the left side i couldnt find anything but maybe there was something there.
Do any of you maybe know what it could mean. And maybe is the was someting infront of the AE?

[willygo3]

That AE695 with the star and 14 is a Straight up a factory part number for the '43 MB front bumper. Willys stamped 'em like that on the steel during pressing, often right by the hand crank hole for quick ID on the line. The "AE" prefix was their code for early '43 bumpers (A-series run), 695 the batch or mold variant. Star's just the inspector punch, and 14 likely the shift or date code (mid-'43 production).

As for something in front of the AE? Could be a faded "MB" prefix or lot number, but if it's that worn, probably not. Left side markings are hit-or-miss, sometimes a serial snippet or nothing at all. Snap a close-up pic if you can, but sounds original as hell.

[W. Winget]

Boy that was a confusing response, the bumper part number stamping has nothing to do with the painted-on White Stencil marking which likely stands for: "Army Europe" vehicle number 695. (to be fair, there was no photo posted when the responder posted)
Now I'm only going to speculate until someone chimes in, but that would mean it was a fleet vehicle drawn from a major site in Europe as #695 before fixed Kaserne's (bases) with assigned units (and marking conventions) were established post WWII. With subsequent EUCOM regulations arising.
V/R W. Winget

[pgcf]

Winget is closer to the truth regarding the markings, willygo3 is making up details to fit his theory. A simple search will confirm that the part number for the MB front bumper is A-1117.

Willys did not make a habit of painting part numbers on parts, that what parts tags are for.

Thanks Winget for putting the thread back on the proper trajectory.

Peter