Marines: tri-colour roundel incorporating anchor		Gendarmerie: flaming grenade and tri-colour

The exception to the above system was for jeeps operating in Indochina which  were registered using a different system consisting of a five digit serial number preceded by a flag, anchor or roundel and the letters IC e.g. IC - 24356 As ever, the size and style of the letters and numbers tended to vary according to the workshop that had applied them. A notable exception to this system was General Leclerc's armoured jeep 'Tailly' which had the registration number L - 401266 (privilege of rank!).

In mid 1960 a new seven digit registration system was introduced that included the year of issue coded within it. Why the new system was not introduced from the start of the year is not clear. Burocracy seems to be the most likely reason in that the decision to change was not taken until mid 1960. The last of the old style series (035 - xxx) was started in March 1960 and ran through until August that year. Jeeps already in service with the old style registrations retained their number until they were subsequently rebuilt at la Maltournée. At the factory the new style registrations continued to be hand painted silver on black in condensed font which regional workshops later altered with repaint jobs into a range of styles either hand painted or stencilled. Usually the first three digits were separated from the last four by a space or dash. Sometimes the first three digits were smaller than the rest and again the number could be in the centre or to the left as you face the vehicle.

The use of the tri-colour continued in the form of a vinyl sticker until replaced by the new armée de Terre insignia that is still in use today. Only the last few jeeps remaining in service ever had this marking. (photo below left) Unusually the digits of this registration number are grouped 4 digits then 3 digits. On the rear number plate, there was only just room to include the tri-colour but often it was omitted and placed on the rear cross-member between the bumperette and towing hitch instead. The other two examples illustrate Gendarmeries and Armée de l'Air registration plates which incorporates stylised wings in yellow.

The system of numbering introduced in mid 1960 incorporated a coding system that included year, service and type of jeep. How the code worked is explained in the section 'Principe d'immatriculation des vehicules' in the document 'Mémento sur les déplacements par voie routière'.

So the rear number plate below is from the 2899th new M201 jeep to be registered in 1962. The plate also shows clearly the style of the hand painted rear number plate fitted at the factory. The digits are silver on black and it is just possible to see the pencil guidelines through the silver paint.

The registration of Armée de l'Air jeeps would have begun at 321 0001 in 1962 and formed a separate series i.e. the next jeep that would have been 221 2900 did not become 321 2900 if it was allocated to the air force. The coding system does not include any information about the regiment to which the jeep was allocated nor does it distinguish between Army and Gendarmerie. Only official documentation like the example below can make this clear. From the registration number it is possible to work out that this particular jeep was rebuilt in 1971 (615) and the 475th to be registered that year. The documentation also gives its attachment to 67th Infantry Regiment - Gendarmerie in 1985.

The original first registration number was also stamped on the chassis of most M201s so even if you have no original documentation about your M201 it may still be possible to find its registration number for a perfect restoration.

From 1980 onwards - a new eight-digit registration system was introduced. In this the first group of digits was extended to four so that the year of manufacture could be clearly expressed. The system became: 1st digit - Military Arm (as before), 2nd & 3rd digit - year of manufacture expressed in decade form (i.e. 85 = 1985), 4th digit - classification (basically as before but with revised definitions of some classes). Bearing in mind that M201 manufacture ended in 1967 and that rebuilding at La Maltournée ended in 1978, in theory at least, no M201 jeeps would ever have been re-registered using this system.

Thanks to Jean-Louis Martin (M201 Nº 19990) for sending me 'Principe d'immatriculation des vehicules' from 'Mémento sur les déplacements par voie routière' and Ben van Wely (M201 Nº 2892) in the Netherlands for the document relating to his ex-Gendarmerie jeep. This page is dedicated to Ben who passed away on the 30th October 2000 and with whom I exchanged many e-mails concerning our common interest - the M201.