Historical information
The first British designed and made Centurion tanks arrived in Australia in June 1952. The first tanks went to the 1st Armoured Regiment, but as more tanks became available armoured regiments of the Citizen Military Forces received replacements for their aging General Grant tanks. The Centurion was a great improvement on the Grant with a bigger gun and the ability to fire accurately while moving.
Serving soldiers of regiments such as 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles were converted to the new tank and National Servicemen received full-time training while at Puckapunyal.
In February 1968, C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, equipped with Centurion tanks was sent to Vietnam. This tank No 169073 was one of the twenty tanks which served in Vietnam.
There were many doubters about the likely usefulness of the Centurion in the jungle and paddy field environment of South Vietnam. How would this very large tank perform?
No one needed to have worried. The tanks performed magnificently and were treasured by the infantry with whom they operated. ‘Tanks save lives’ was the catchcry.
Several Reserve officers were attached to the Squadron in Vietnam including Colonel John Neale and Major Gordon Cole.
Following the Australian withdrawal, the tanks were refurbished and issued to Army Reserve regiments for training. Our tank was allocated to 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles. Together with the tanks came a crop of Regular Army Cadre staff and training reached a new peak.
When the Centurion was superseded by the Leopard surplus vehicles were allocated to museums and regimental collections as trophy vehicles.
Physical description
Black and white photograph of Centurion Tank No. 169073 at Buna Barracks, Albury, home of 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles 1988.
