[sabinesnubbing]

Harit,
Very nice.
You are absolutely right, it is Burmese. The number is N/5344 - a regular private car plate. Before you get the wrong impression that I know anything at all about Burmese writing, the omniglot website is a great place for strange scripts.
The series was introduced in 1953 (probably) and was originally from 1 to 9999 and then with a letter prefix. I forgot to check where this letter comes in their alphabet but it must be the 1950s sometime.
Cheers
Cedric

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by ajay99

series added-KL-16(Attingal),KL-17(moovattupuzha) and KL-18(vadakara)
in July2006 all joint rtos were given registration series from KL-19to KL-60

Add these also now.
KL-61 Kunnathur, Kollam
KL-62 Ranni, Pathanamthitta
KL-63 Angamali, Ernakulam
KL-64 Chalakkudy, Thrissur
KL-65 Thirurangadi, Malappuram

Originally Posted by kevinephraim

I had seen a toyota startlet with registration KBE. From when and where would that be?

Trivandrum - KLT, KLV, KRT, KRV, KET, KEV, KBT, KBV KCT, KCV then the new series KL 01 FROM 1989
Ernakulam - KLE, KLF, KRE, KRF, KEE, KEF, KBE, KBF, KCE, KCF, KDE THEN KL 07

[ajay99]

Originally Posted by rajeev k

Add these also now.
KL-61 Kunnathur, Kollam
KL-62 Ranni, Pathanamthitta
KL-63 Angamali, Ernakulam
KL-64 Chalakkudy, Thrissur
KL-65 Thirurangadi, Malappuram

Trivandrum - KLT, KLV, KRT, KRV, KET, KEV, KBT, KBV KCT, KCV then the new series KL 01 FROM 1989
Ernakulam - KLE, KLF, KRE, KRF, KEE, KEF, KBE, KBF, KCE, KCF, KDE THEN KL 07

These newly set up RTO's started functioning from April 2011 only,so not many vehicles from them yet

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by ajay99

These newly set up RTO's started functioning from April 2011 only,so not many vehicles from them yet

Chalakkudy was under KL45 (Irinjalakkuda) and was registering a number of vehicles much higher than even Alwaye which would now come down with the advent of the Chalakkudy JRTO.
Ankamaly would have an effect on Alwaye.
But all are intended for the convenience of the vehicle owners if the staff stick to the right basics.

[karlosdeville]

This morning I spotted a Premier Padmini registered DMA 416 - where could this number have originated from? I have never seen a DMx series.

[sabinesnubbing]

Karl,
That is from Daman and Diu after it was given a separate series from Goa in 1979.
Cheers
Cedric

[harit]

Any idea what number plates are these, CIC 074 etc. This seems to be some organisation, maybe related to military, maybe Ceylon (Sri Lanka), there is no clue. The Jeep is recognisable, but what are the other vehicles? The sedan appear to be Russian, or maybe Renault Fregate, the station wagons perhaps Singers? All have CIC ??? registrations nos.
Often white vehicles were for airforce or medical use.

Cheers harit

[wasif]

Those vehicles could most likely be associated with the office of the Commander In Chief hense CIC.

What is that white van in the background ofthe first pic and what make are th cars in the second picture

[sabinesnubbing]

Harit,
Not Russian. Checking on Google, it loks like the saloons are Renault Fregate models from 1952 or 1953.
White paint jobs have always been associated with things like the UN and their offshoots. If it was just army C in C, most would be green or khaki or camouflage.
The French 'contingents' of various UN agencies have always used French made vehicles so I am sure it has something to do with them. I see palm trees in the third picture (rear views). Do these grow all over India?
I wonder if this has anything to do with the transfer from France to India of the old French colonies in 1954?
I need to dig in Google for IC (on the flags) or CIC tomorrow as it is bed time now.
Absolutely superb photos.
Cheers
Cedric

[sabinesnubbing]

Harit,
Checked Google for French estate cars this morning and all the ones in the photos are 1950 onwards Peugeot 203 Familiale estate cars with 3 rows of seats.
Now all we need is to find CIC or IC.
Cheers
Cedric

[SILVERWOOD]

Originally Posted by sabinesnubbing

Now all we need is to find CIC or IC.
Cheers Cedric

I have written an email to Classic Car Club Of Celyon (an affiliate of FIVA) to help us identify these cars.Lets see if they can help.

[harit]

Originally Posted by sabinesnubbing

Harit, Checked Google for French estate cars this morning and all the ones in the photos are 1950 onwards Peugeot 203 Familiale estate cars with 3 rows of seats. Now all we need is to find CIC or IC. Cheers Cedric

Very nice, I thought of Renault Fregate too as the monogram on the side could read as Renault. But the Peugeot I did not figure.
There is a Fregate in North India, and very few Peugeot's 203 saloons around, so this is unlikely to be in India. Lets see if CIC or IC come up.

Cheers harit

[sabinesnubbing]

Harit,
I emailed a French collector and a bit of a historian and he has discovered various things about the C.I.C........
The vehicles in the pictures (except the Jeeps) are all French made.
The IC on the flags is the flag of the Infanterie Coloniale - the name for the overseas troops of the French army.
Some of the uniforms are French.
In 1954 the Commission Internationale de Contrôle (CIC) - the International Control Commission - was tasked by the UN "to ensure the application of the Geneva agreements on Vietnam's independence after 1954. Wikipedia talk of "Indochina War" and "Geneva Accord". It was run by India, Canada and Poland, this may be an Indian on a photo. The French army has worked with the CIC even if the war was over, which explains the presence of our uniforms in the pictures."

It looks like these were photos taken by one of the Indian members of the C.I.C when he was on duty in Vietnam and they are the vehicles of the C.I.C in Vietnam
Hope that helps.

I am grateful for seeing the photos as this was a batch of registrations and a piece of history we were not aware of.
Cheers
Cedric

[harit]

Originally Posted by sabinesnubbing

Harit,
I emailed a French collector and a bit of a historian and he has discovered various things about the C.I.C........
The vehicles in the pictures (except the Jeeps) are all French made.
The IC on the flags is the flag of the Infanterie Coloniale.............. ...Cheers Cedric

That is wonderful investigation, Cedric. Except the part about the Jeep, it still could have been French as Hotchkiss made them too!!

Cheers harit

[sabinesnubbing]

"Except the part about the Jeep, it still could have been French as Hotchkiss made them too!!"

Harit,
True, very true. I forgot that and knowing how the French army used to use French made vehicles pretty much exclusively, I bet those are Hotchkiss!
I was always a Landie, G-Wagen & Unimog man myself so I know very, very little about Jeeps.

Cheers
Cedric