Canadian Centurion tanks question

[rob love]

From the ELD L112 4th revision.

ECC 118105; Tank, combat, full tracked, medium gun, armoured, Centurion, mk5

ECC 118109 Tank, combat, full tracked, 105mm gun, Centurion MK 5/2 fitted with RMG

ECC 118110 Tank, combat, full tracked, 105mm gunned, armoured centurion mkII

ECC 118203 Tank, combat, full tracked, medium, command, armoured, centurion Mk 5

ECC 118401 Tank, bridge layer, full tracked, heavy, armoured, Centurion Mk 5

ECC 118801 Recovery Vehicle, full tracked, heavy, armoured, Centurion mk2

[Dave Mills]

Speaking further with a veteran today he pointed me to a publication which he had and is a fantastic read of Aust armour in Vietnam.

"Vietnam Tracks Armor in Battle" - USA publication hence the spelling of Armor and not Armour.

ISBN - 0850454727

Pages 160 - 180 which focus on the Aust Armour.

Went to the Armour Museum the other day and worked with a former RAEME mech now in his 70's who was replacing the bushes and adjusting the gear selector rods on the Musuems Cent. Fantastic just fantastic, apparently the gear changes between 2nd and 3rd if not done fast and correctly would bog the Cent.
He said most drivers did full noise and from 1st to 3rd as fast as possible. One day we will not have these Vets around and I enjoy every minute that I get with them. The Pucka museum is great and so hands on if you know the right people.

Cheers,

Dave.

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by rob love

From the ELD L112 4th revision.

ECC 118110 Tank, combat, full tracked, 105mm gunned, armoured centurion mkII.

Rob,

The only difference in ECC's between your list and mine, is the ECC for a Centurion Mk 11. Mine shows it as 118305 while yours shows it as 118110. I'm wondering if it was changed in the three years between my source document and yours. I doubt one vehicle was issued two Codes.

Thanks for posting this, as now I have something else to research, and to me, that's all the fun.

Cheers,
Dan.

[jdmcm]

Bit off topic,and perhaps Hanno will move this to a more appropriate place, but I was wondering about the Anzac tankers crewing the Centurions in Vietnam, did they wear a mix of Australian and US gear? I have seen the APC crews wearing what look like US pattern armored vehicle crew helmets with radio mikes, but not sure if I have ever seen the Centurion crews wear those, perhaps someone could advise as to radio configurations and the like on the RAAC tanks. Were the uniforms, flak jackets and web gear a mix of the US and Australian or was that just the inevitable trading back and forth between the troops?

[Mike Cecil]

John,

Tank Suits were too hot, so crews wore standard Army Greens (cotton shirt, trousers) on ops and when working in camp, and had a light-weight flying suit for 'evening wear' (after work) in camp.

Flak jackets, when issued, were of US origin. Two types were on issue.

Some Cent crews adapted US AFV Crewman's Helmets, most drivers just had the outer shell of an M1 helmet handy. Hats were black beret or a US ball cap. AFV Crewman Helmets were easier for an M113A1 crewman to use, as they plugged straight in to the US type IC (AN/VIC-1 harness) and worked with the radios (AN/VRC-46, and AN/GRC-125, etc)

Cent radio configuration was B47/C42 (gun tanks) or B47/C42/C42 (command tanks) internally, AN/PRC-25 externally on the turret roof, held in an angle iron bracket as part of an ammunition liner stowage mounting.

Mike

[Dan Martel]

Seeing as we're talking about all things Centurion, I found this little chart on the t'internet. Thought I'd post it for those interested in Australian Centurions in Vietnam.

Cheers,
Dan.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

For most of the 90's I worked with Vietnam Vet, a gunner in the Centurion. As was the case then (and now?) many vets were reticent to talk about their service. My recollection of the few comments he made was:
They worked on a range of 60 miles with full fuel.
When under fire from tunnels in hillsides they would pump in round after round of canister as it was most effective.
The Cent. was not a suitable tank for the terrain/conditions.
(The most effective weapon he saw was a Bofors A/A used for ground defence.)
Suffered terribly from Tinnitus and later developed PTSD.
I thought I was doing the right thing and organised a ride in a Cent, he flatly refused (politely, he was a great bloke) to be involved...
I guess our love of the machinery can blind us to the human side on occasion, I still feel
guilty that I could not see his suffering.
Rich.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

For most of the 90's I worked with Vietnam Vet, a gunner in the Centurion. As was the case then (and now?) many vets were reticent to talk about their service. My recollection of the few comments he made was:
They worked on a range of 60 miles with full fuel.
When under fire from tunnels in hillsides they would pump in round after round of canister as it was most effective.
The Cent. was not a suitable tank for the terrain/conditions.
(The most effective weapon he saw was a Bofors A/A used for ground defence.)
Suffered terribly from Tinnitus and later developed PTSD.
I thought I was doing the right thing and organised a ride in a Cent, he flatly refused (politely, he was a great bloke) to be involved...
I guess our love of the machinery can blind us to the human side on occasion, I still feel
guilty that I could not see his suffering.
Rich.

Humbling. But if we are doing what we do for the right reasons (and I think most of us are) it is to pay tribute to vets like this and what they went through. If nothing else it's to help tell their story to generations that would otherwise have no idea.