sgtpeter wrote:Did you find this documented somewhere or is it just from observation?
To date the different tactical symbols of the 1st Inf Division for Normandy have not really been researched or published; at least not that I know of.
So what I know comes from observing original WW2 pictures showing the markings in use.
I believe these markings should have been used after erasing the letter coded unit markings, for tactical purposes, but for some reason, the Big Red One vehicles retained their original letter markings and had the tactical ones applied next to them. Of course this doesn't make sense in a tactical way, but allows for better identification of the different markings.
These are visible on several color images which we have all seen in various books and sites in recent years.
One can only wonder why the BRO vehicles were marked with huge stars and white bumpers, for the Normandy landings. It doesn't make sense from a camouflage point of view....
Next to these yellow/black tactical markings the BRO vehicles were also painted with the color coded 'invasion bars' accompanied by the 5-digit number code, as shown on the pictures above (example 43020 for HQ-1st Inf Division)
So 1st Division vehicles were actually identified three times on the front bumpers......
A similar system was used by the 29th Inf Div, and they did it following the rules as the larger unit codes (generally found on the left side of the bumpers as you look at them) were replaced by the Tactical Signs (except on Vixen Tor, the Jeep of the Division Commander, which carried both markings).
And luckily a list of the different signs for the 29ID has survived, so identifying vehicles from that division is not that difficult.
Here's an overview of the 29th Markings, from Jon Gawne's article in the French Militaria Magazine (all markings should be bordered in yellow too)

Here's a Jeep from the 29th Division's 111th Field Artillery in Brittany

A Jeep from the Divisional Reconnaissance Troop in France

None of the 29ID vehicles seem to have the Color Bars...