Moama NSW, Centurion 5/1 (Aust), formation sign

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks Rod for the positive comments about M&D. Not a perfect book, but not too bad either.

The AWM film shows gun tanks of C Sqn unloading at the Baria Hard stand in early 1968, and you have spotted the error in the unit signs: the arm of service colours red/yellow should be red upper left, yellow lower right, but at least two tanks including 169055 have them as red upper right, yellow lower left, but they do have the correct 1AR independent squadron-in-SVN unit number '106' superimposed. (The FDT unit number was 46. The previous 1AR regimental number was 41, superseded by 1968 by 206. The '41'as 1FDT is an error on page 296 of M&D ... ooops!)

Owen, the complete text of the order concerning the AFV formation sign is reproduced verbatim on pages 294-295 of M&D, in the appendix on markings.

Regards

Mike

[Rod Cairns]

Thanks for the clarification Mike. I'm sure I read somewhere else that the reversed colours were deliberate which didn't make sense to me. I guess the painters had a bad day when faced with a 50/50 choice! Reminds me of the UNEF II coloured Iroquois helicopter at Fairbairn that flew around for a few days with "NU" painted on its belly...

[Owen Genat]

Rob/Mike,
apologies for my tardy response. Thank you both for the information and guidance. I have some book hunting to do.
Kind regards, Owen.