The following 8th Division / 14th Brigade markings were uncovered during the restoration of my 106 SR. Research of the regiments suggests that it was the 21e RIMa who had 106 SR jeeps based at Laon as part of the 2eme section d'éclairage de brigade.

The second photo shows the marking on the side of the jeep above the wheel arch.

As far as one can tell it is an 'R' which in other regiments would indicate a reconnaissance company. Can anyone confirm these markings for me? The jeep was rebuilt in 1971 so the markings would relate to the period between  1971 and 1980 when the 21e RIMa left the 8e Division to become part of the Rapid Deployment Forces in Fréjus as part of 1977 reorganisation.

Another example of a 14th Mechanised Brigade marking on the side of a jeep can be seen below. The jeep has the same 'lion des Flandres' on yellow background on the panel below the windshield but a different marking on the side.

photo: Pat Ware

Can anyone help with this 8th Division marking?

And now a final (for now) lion des Flandres puzzle. The Lion in the photo below was uncovered on the panel below the windshield during the restoration of another jeep. Ignore the blue paint that was used to cover it over with another insignia.

The lion appears to have been painted onto the standard army green, i.e. there was no background colour. Does this have a special significance e.g. HQ based rather than divisional or was it just a lazy way of painting the 4th Brigade insignia which would normally have had a green background? Again can anyone help with this?

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