Centurion Arrives in BC

[Ed Storey]

Originally Posted by Aide Memoire

(ps. the "s/o" is British admspeak for "struck off" or "sold on" - and apparently "FARELF" is Far East Land Force - or gear pooled for the Malaysian Emergency, apparently surplused from Hong Kong.)

Again for what it is worth my list does not show any Canadian Centurion tank acquisitions after 1954. Canada did use a small number of 1951 vintage Centurions when 27 Brigade was first formed and for which I do not have their WD Nos. Looking at the WD list provided in an earlier post and comparing it to the Centurion card just posted which documents Centurion Mk 5 02ZR59; according to the WD list the ZR series was applied to late 1940s early 1950s vehicles. Is it not possible then that the list is not saying Canada took on 02ZR59 in 1963 but that it was stricken off the brigade strength and sent to the Far east in 1963 as we were then using 'newer' 1953 and 1954 model Centurions in Germany? I am also thinking that this transfer might make sense as in 1963 Canada was still part of the BOAR in Northern Germany.